The effect of chronic disorders on sleep in the elderly.
Sleep disorders are increasingly common as people age. Along with the numerous physiologic changes that occur with aging, sleep patterns are also altered. Inability to get to sleep, shorter sleep times, and changes in the normal circadian patterns can have an impact on an individual's overall well being. In addition, many common chronic conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, dementia, chronic pain, and cancer, that are more common in the elderly, can also have significant effects on sleep and increase the prevalence of insomnia as compared with the general population. This is a result not only of the chronic medical illnesses themselves, but of the psychologic and social factors associated with the disease processes.
Michael E. DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 2002 Holcombe ECL 110, Houston, TX 77030, USA. aimeeg@bcm.tmc.edu
Aimée Dinorah
AD
Garcia
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*