Sleep Disorders in the Elderly

Sleep disorders are not a part of a normal aging process. Sleep is a vital physiological process with important restorative functions that are essential for health, wellbeing, optimal daytime functioning, and longevity. Quite often, sleep-related complaints are neither reported by the patients nor investigated by the primary care provider. Sleep disorders are common in the elderly population due to coexisting medical conditions including cardiopulmonary, neuropsychiatric, and psychosocial issues. This situation is further accentuated by a wide variety of medications and habitual use of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine use. Clinical consequences often include hyper somnolence, impaired intellect, disturbed cognition, increased risk of cardiopulmonary complications, and risk of falls. Inadequate sleep can compromise quality of life and cause significant social and economic burden for the caregiver. Diagnosis of sleep disorders in the elderly requires a high index of suspicion by a skilled and experienced physician. A multifaceted and comprehensive approach is required for successful management of this complex conglomerate of conditions.