OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and gait characteristics (e.g., speed, variability) in community-dwelling older adults. METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 3,901 individuals aged ≥65 years. Participants answered questions about EDS, sleep duration, and other sleep-related symptoms. Gait speed, stride length, and the variability in stride length were assessed by using a stopwatch and a WalkWay device. RESULTS: EDS was significantly associated with slower gait speed among younger subjects (<75 years, p = .021) and with both slower gait speed ( p = .045) and greater variability in stride length among older subjects (≥75 years, p = .048) in a multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, medication, number of comorbidities, and education. DISCUSSION: EDS associates with gait ability, particularly in older old adults. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the causal association between gait ability and sleep disturbances, including EDS.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and gait characteristics (e.g., speed, variability) in community-dwelling older adults. METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 3,901 individuals aged ≥65 years. Participants answered questions about EDS, sleep duration, and other sleep-related symptoms. Gait speed, stride length, and the variability in stride length were assessed by using a stopwatch and a WalkWay device. RESULTS: EDS was significantly associated with slower gait speed among younger subjects (<75 years, p = .021) and with both slower gait speed ( p = .045) and greater variability in stride length among older subjects (≥75 years, p = .048) in a multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, medication, number of comorbidities, and education. DISCUSSION: EDS associates with gait ability, particularly in older old adults. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the causal association between gait ability and sleep disturbances, including EDS.