Sleep state of the elderly population in Korea: Nationwide cross-sectional population-based study

Interest in sleep disorders among the elderly, especially those in Korea, has increased. We aimed to describe the overall sleep status of the elderly population in Korea using survey data and to determine the risk factors concerning different aspects of sleep status.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey on 271 respondents aged 65-86 years old. We performed multistage clustered random sampling according to the population and socioeconomic distribution of all Korean territories. The survey questionnaire was used to perform a structural assessment of sociodemographic characteristics; medical comorbidities; psychiatric comorbidities; and sleep status, including sleep duration, sleep quality, presence of insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome.

Approximately 12.5, 22.%, and 51.3% of the elderly population had poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and insomnia, respectively. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, insomnia, anxiety, and depression predicted poor sleep quality. Female sex, insomnia, and sleep apnea predicted excessive daytime sleepiness. Poor sleep quality and depression predicted insomnia.

A substantial proportion of the elderly Korean population have sleep problems, including poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and insomnia. Sleep status is influenced by various factors, including age, sex, and metabolic and psychiatric comorbidities.