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Sleep and Sleep Disorders in Older Adults
Lauren A Tobias1, Margaret A Pisani2
1Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 208057, New Haven, CT 06501, USA.
None:
This article discusses both normal sleep and sleep disorders found in older adults. Factors that impact sleep as persons age are reviewed. Common sleep disorders seen in older persons are addressed and include insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and rapid eye movement behavior disorder. Sleep disruption and sleep disorders have important downstream health effects for older adults, including accelerated cognitive decline and increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. Psychiatric symptoms may also worsen because of sleep disturbance, particularly insomnia, with implications for management of depression and anxiety.
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