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Sleep in the Elderly: Unanswered Questions
Steven H Feinsilver1, Adam B Hernandez2
1Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Center for Sleep Medicine, Lenox Hill Hospital, 100 East 77th Street, New York, NY, USA.
Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
|October 10, 2017
Summary
Sleep patterns change with age, leading to less deep sleep and more awakenings. These age-related sleep changes, including insomnia and breathing issues, are important for both healthy seniors and those with diseases.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sleep Medicine
- Neurology
Background:
- Sleep architecture and patterns undergo significant alterations with advancing age.
- These age-related sleep changes have profound implications for the health and well-being of elderly individuals, both in health and disease.
- Common age-associated sleep disturbances include reduced slow wave sleep, increased awakenings, and a shift towards earlier sleep times.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the typical changes in sleep associated with aging.
- To discuss the clinical significance of these sleep alterations in the elderly population.
- To highlight specific sleep disorders that are prevalent in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on sleep and aging.
- Analysis of common sleep phenomena observed in elderly individuals.
- Correlation of sleep changes with neurological and other disease states.
Main Results:
- Aging is associated with decreased slow wave sleep (deep sleep) and increased sleep fragmentation (more awakenings).
- A tendency towards earlier sleep onset and wake times is common in older adults.
- Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a significant early indicator of neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly.
- Insomnia (difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep) prevalence increases with age.
- Sleep-related breathing irregularities, such as an increased Apnea Hypopnea Index, become more common but may not always be clinically significant.
Conclusions:
- Age-related sleep changes are a normal physiological process with significant clinical relevance.
- Sleep disturbances in the elderly, including insomnia, RBD, and breathing issues, warrant careful evaluation.
- Understanding these sleep alterations is crucial for managing health and disease in aging populations.
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