[Sleep and sleep disorders in the elderly: Part 1: epidemiology and diagnostics].

Restorative sleep is an important factor for well-being, performance and quality of life. The basic diagnostic procedure of a sleep disorder is to take a comprehensive sleep history. Sleep disorders can and must be distinguished from the physiological changes of sleep in the elderly. Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping), daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia), sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) and movement disorders during sleep are also common in the elderly. They must be detected because they are treatable and can dominate the clinical picture of geriatric syndromes. Nursing home residents and dementia patients are in particular need of attention as their sleep is often adversely affected by the living environment and the daily institutional routine.