Epidemiology of sleep disorders.

Sleep apnea and PLMS are extremely prevalent in the elderly. The subjective reports of poor sleep, insomnia, snoring, and excessive daytime sleepiness should not be taken lightly and should not be assumed to be a normal sign of aging. These problems may be interrelated and may be symptoms of the sleep disorders discussed above. Physicians and gerontologists need to become more sensitive to the special problems and needs related to sleep disorders in the geriatric population.