Sleep changes and disorders in the elderly patient.

Sleep disorders are very common among older patients. Our population as a whole is experiencing substantial growth in the geriatric population. Thus, it is all the more prudent that healthcare professionals become familiar with the major sleep disorders that affect the older patient, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. This paper deals with the various sleep changes that take place in the course of the aging process and with the assessment of sleep disorders in the older patient. Special attention is paid to sleep-disordered breathing, periodic limb-movement disorder of sleep, insomnia, and circadian rhythm anthology, as well as parasomnias that are unique to the older patient. The final section of the paper deals with specific neurologic disorders and their impact on sleep patterns.