Sleepiness and sleep in elderly persons with tinnitus

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Otolaryngology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Tinnitus, the perception of sound without external stimuli, affects a significant portion of the elderly population.
• Sleep disturbances and daytime sleepiness (DS) are common complaints among older adults, impacting quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between tinnitus and sleep quality in elderly individuals.
• To examine the association of tinnitus with daytime sleepiness (DS) in an aging population.

Main Methods:

• A large-scale questionnaire survey was conducted among 10,216 elderly subjects in northern Sweden.
• Data collected included tinnitus prevalence, sleep patterns (poor sleep, frequent waking, difficulty initiating sleep), and daytime sleepiness (DS).

Main Results:

• Tinnitus prevalence was 14.9% in men and 12.0% in women, increasing with age in women.
• Subjects with tinnitus reported poorer sleep quality, more frequent awakenings, and increased DS.
• Daytime sleepiness (DS) was more pronounced in individuals with both tinnitus and poor sleep, independent of sleep medication.

Conclusions:

• Tinnitus is significantly associated with poor sleep and increased daytime sleepiness (DS) in the elderly.
• The irritating nature of tinnitus and its disruption of sleep contribute to daytime sleepiness (DS) in older adults.
• Interventions addressing tinnitus and sleep quality may improve daytime alertness in elderly individuals.