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Elderly: Coping with sleep disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

D. Silva ,
R. Martins ,
F. Polido  and
M.D.C. Cruz
D. Silva*
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve, Portimão, Portugal
R. Martins
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve, Portimão, Portugal
F. Polido
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve, Portimão, Portugal
M.D.C. Cruz
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve, Portimão, Portugal
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Sleep problems are a common presenting symptom of elderly patients to Primary care physicians and Psychiatrists. Almost half of seniors over age 65 who live at home are dissatisfied with their sleep, and nearly two-thirds of those residing in nursing home facilities suffer from sleep disorders. Chronic and pervasive sleep complaints and disturbances are frequently associated with excessive daytime sleepiness and may result in impaired cognition, diminished intellect, poor memory, confusion, and psychomotor retardation.

Objectives

The aim of this article is to sumarize and explore the facts envolving sleep disorders, discusses approaches to treatment and highlights new research in the area of geriatric sleep disorders.

Methods

An online bibliographic search was carried out on PubMed and Medline using the keywords “Elderly”, “sleep” and “Psychiatry”.

Results

Management of sleep disorders is complicated by the risk of side effects of pharmacologic treatment approaches, and thus nonpharmacologic strategies are preferred when possible. Additionally, many of the pharmacologic strategies used in treating younger adults have not been studied adequately in the geriatric population, and more specifically in patients with underlying cognitive disorders, making treatment choices difficult.

Conclusions

This review has provided insights into the biopsychosocial impact of sleep disorders in the elderly, as this group pose unique challenges for diagnosis and treatment. Sleep changes in the elderly may have a far broader impact on geriatric health than originally thought, with implications for AD and delirium, and further research is needed in these areas as well.

Keywords

Elderlysleep
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 64 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 29th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2021 , pp. S556
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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