Sleep disorders in the elderly

Abstract

Nearly half of older adults report difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep. With age, several changes occur that can place one at risk for sleep disturbance including increased prevalence of medical conditions, increased medication use, age-related changes in various circadian rhythms, and environmental and lifestyle changes. Although sleep complaints are common among all age groups, older adults have increased prevalence of many primary sleep disorders including sleep-disordered breathing, periodic limb movements in sleep, restless legs syndrome, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder, insomnia, and circadian rhythm disturbances. The present review discusses age-related changes in sleep architecture, aetiology, presentation, and treatment of sleep disorders prevalent among the elderly and other factors relevant to ageing that are likely to affect sleep quality and quantity.