Insomnia in the elderly.
BACKGROUND
Insomnia is more common in older people. There are multiple causes of insomnia including medical and psychiatric illness, medications, specific sleep disorders, environmental and behavioural factors and age-related changes in sleep quality and sleep patterns.


OBJECTIVE
This article reviews the causes of insomnia, assessment issues and management approaches, to provide the reader with a practical approach to the problem. A comprehensive assessment often reveals reversible factors. Non pharmacological approaches include sleep hygiene measures, increasing sunlight exposure and acupuncture. Only after use of these approaches should short term hypnosedative treatment be commenced.


CONCLUSIONS
With appropriate management, most older people with insomnia will experience improved sleep.
Woodward
M
M
Aged Care Services, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Victoria.
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives