Sleep Disorders In Older People

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Sleep disturbances are very common in older people. Changes in sleep patterns may be a normal part of aging, but many other factors common in older people contribute to sleep problems. These include physical illness or symptoms, medication side effects, changes in activity or social life, and death of a spouse or loved one. Sleep disorders decrease quality of life in older people by causing daytime sleepiness, tiredness, and lack of energy. Poor quality of sleep also can lead to confusion, difficulty concentrating, and poor performance on tasks. The biggest sleep problem in older people is a feeling of not getting enough sleep (insomnia) or not being rested. Sleep changes with age. Older people are less efficient sleepers and have different patterns of sleep than younger people. (Sleep disorders and aging, n.d.)
Sleep problems that go on for a long time may increase the risk of anxiety or depression. (General Information about Sleep Disorders, n.d.). Depression disrupts sleep in all ages, and this condition is especially common in older people. Many people with depression have trouble falling asleep at night or wake in the night and are unable to go back to sleep. (Sleep disorders and aging, n.d.)
Sleep disturbances increase with aging and it is estimated that nearly 67% of the elderly people have at …show more content…

The aging process is associated with physiological changes which may affect sleep (Van Someren, 2000). Diminished subjective sleep quality is one of the most frequent health complaints in the elderly (Prinz, 1995) with more than 80 percent reported having experienced some sleep disturbance and 50 percent reported frequent occurrence of sleep disturbances (Foley et al., 1995). In the elderly, undiagnosed and untreated insomnia may cause impaired daily function and reduced quality of life and is a risk factor for accidents and falls. (Halpern,

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