Sleep and the Elderly

More than 50 percent of Americans aged 65 and older report having a sleep problem. The quality of sleep often changes as we grow older due to various sleep disorders, changes in sleep stages and a variety of physical, medical and lifestyle problems.

The elderly often complain that they have difficulty falling asleep as well as staying asleep all night. The most common problem noted by older adults is the need to get up and go to the bathroom. Other medical causes of fragmented sleep are arthritis pain, congestive heart failure, pulmonary disease, heartburn or headaches.

Persistent trouble falling asleep at night or being frequently drowsy during the day is not an inevitable part of aging. Sometimes, age-related changes mask underlying sleep disorders.

Sleep apnea, for example, causes frequent awakenings that lead to daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition and requires medical evaluation by a sleep disorder specialist.

The Sun Health Sleep Disorders Center offers testing in a comfortable home-like setting. Sleep studies are interpreted by a board-certified sleep medicine physician who recommends the most appropriate treatment for your condition.