Disturbed sleep patterns and night-time restlessness are common among elderly people with dementia. Many factors play a role in their development, including cognitive problems, emotional factors, noise from care workers and poor sleep hygiene. Sleep medication usually has negative side effects, and good alternatives are increasingly being sought. Listening to music via a music pillow can be a good option.
The music pillow intervention is a psychosocial treatment to reduce nighttime restlessness in people with dementia. The music pillow is a pillow with built-in speakers. The client is encouraged to lie with their head on the pillow, because only then can the music be heard properly. The music provides support, recognition and, with that, a feeling of security. The music used for the music pillow intervention also has calming characteristics, which can promote sleep (Raven-de Vries & Vink, 2015).