Sleep disorders in older adults. A primary care guide to assessing 4 common sleep problems in geriatric patients.

Complaints about sleep are common among older adults, yet are not a normal consequence of old age. Disordered sleep can be due to medical conditions, chronic diseases, psychiatric disorders, and medications. Age-associated, oropharyngeal anatomical changes can result in sleep-disordered breathing (sleep apnea). In addition, the circadian rhythm advances that accompany aging can cause early evening lethargy and early morning awakenings. Discovering and treating the underlying cause(s) of the sleep disorder is the first step in approaching the problem.