title: Sleep quality is associated with walking under dual-task, but not single-task performance.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between sleep behavior and gait performance under single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) walking conditions in community- dwelling older adults.
  
  
  
  Walking under ST and DT conditions was evaluated in 34 community-dwelling older adults, 64.7% women, mean age 71.5 (SD±5.8). Gait-speed and gait-variability data were collected using the OPAL wearable sensors of the Mobility Lab. Sleep behavior (sleep efficiency [SE] and sleep latency [SL]) was assessed using actigraphy, over 5 consecutive nights.
  
  
  
  Lower SE was associated with decreased gait speed and increased stride-length variability during DT (rs=0.35; p=0.04; rs=-0.36; p=0.03, respectively), whereas longer SL was associated with increased stride-length variability during DT (rs=0.38; p=.03). After controlling for age and cognition, SE accounted for 24% and 33% of the variability in stride length and stride time. No associations were found between sleep and gait measures under ST walking.
  
  
  
  Lower SE is associated with decreased gait speed and increased gait variability under DT conditions that are indicative of an increased risk for falls in older adults. Our findings support clinical recommendations to incorporate the evaluation of sleep quality in the context of risk assessment for falls.
authors.affiliation: The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel. Electronic address: agmon.mn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maayan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agmon
authors.affiliation: The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel. Electronic address: tshochat@univ.haifa.ac.il.
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shochat
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel; Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. Electronic address: racheli.kizony@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kizony
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D056044:Actigraphy; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D000072797:Walking Speed / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Dual- task; Fall risk; Gait variability; Older adults; Sleep efficiency; Sleep latency