![]() For these reasons, insomnia is more common in people over the age of 65. Daytime napping can also compound the problem. Changes in the circadian rhythm caused by the normal aging process dictate patterns of falling asleep and waking up earlier in the older population. 1 Waking earlier than planned is another common complaint in the elderly. Delta-wave sleep decreases, and sleep becomes more fragmented. Sleep initiation is more difficult in the elderly, and thus more time is spent awake in bed before falling asleep. Secondary insomnia, on the other hand, is caused by an underlying medical condition or a medication.Ĭhanges in sleep architecture are common with advancing age. Primary insomnia is not caused by a health problem it is a sleep disturbance that cannot be attributed to a medical, psychiatric, or environmental cause. Insomnia also can be classified as primary or secondary. Chronic insomnia is usually associated with medical, psychiatric, psychological, or substance-use disorders. Transient insomnia is often self-limited and usually lasts no longer than 7 days short-term insomnia lasts for 1 to 3 weeks and chronic insomnia lasts longer than 3 weeks. One way to classify insomnia is in three categories based on duration. Insomnia can be categorized in numerous ways. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to equip pharmacists to educate patients on the causes and treatment of insomnia review basic principles of good sleep hygiene and discuss the use of OTC sleep aids, dietary supplements, and prescription medications for insomnia. Because of their access to the general public and expertise in drug therapy, pharmacists are uniquely qualified to assist patients with insomnia. 3 This includes indirect costs such as medical expenses, ramifications of accidents, reduced work productivity, and absenteeism. 7 The total cost to American society associated with insomnia is estimated at $100 billion annually. 5,6 Nearly $1 billion is spent annually in the United States on medications to improve sleep. It has been reported that up to 40% of people with insomnia use OTC products or alcohol to self-medicate. 1 Changes in the amount and quality of sleep are associated with advancing age. More than 50% of geriatric patients have reported repeated difficulty falling and staying asleep, trouble waking, waking up too early, or needing to nap without feeling rested. ![]() 2,3 Insomnia is characterized by difficulty initiating and/or maintaining sleep. 1 It is defined as the inability to obtain sleep of sufficient quality or quantity to feel refreshed the following morning. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email.Insomnia is a common but often underdiagnosed complaint in the elderly population. Pacific Neuroscience Institute Foundationīy submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Pacific Neuroscience Institute.However, if sleep disturbance continues, your doctor may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), medications or both, to help improve sleep. Adjusting your sleep habits and pinpointing any issues that may be contributing to your insomnia, such as stress, medical conditions, or medications, can help restore quality sleep in many people. Comorbid physical illness (e.g., congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, nocturia)įor older adults struggling with sleep issues, there are some steps you can take.Sleep problems secondary to medication use.Nocturnal myoclonus or periodic leg movements.Sleep-disordered breathing (i.e., sleep apnea).Sleep disturbances leading to insomnia in the older adults Determining underlying causes of insomnia and exploring sleep hygiene key.Older persons are also more likely to phase-advance in the sleep cycle, with a phase tendency toward “morningness.”.Many of these sleep changes are similar to those that occur in depression and dementing disorders, although not as severe.a tendency to exhibit redistribution of sleep (e.g., napping during the day).decreased rapid eye movement (REM) latency & amounts.decreased deep sleep (3 and Stage 4 sleep).frequent arousals (increased % of Stage 1 and Stage 2 sleep).Sleep changes characteristic in late life include:.Leads to deterioration in daytime alertness and functioning.28% report difficulty falling asleep, and 46% both falling & staying asleep.Insomnia is a common sleep disorder where people may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good quality sleep. Insomnia is more frequent in older adults than in any other age group, and can lead to a number of brain health issues. Pacific Neuroscience Institute Directory.Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Mission Hills. ![]()
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