Medical Illness, Medications, and Sleep in Older Adults

Sleep complaints in older adults are often associated with comorbid illnesses or medications rather than to aging per se (Figure 3). Chronic diseases become more prevalent as patients age, and it is not uncommon for older patients to have multiple concurrent medical conditions. Studies have found that patients with multiple health problems are more likely to have sleep difficulties as well, and that their sleep quality decreases with an increasing number of medical conditions. The 2003 “Sleep in America” survey found that 36% of people age 65 years and older with no comorbid illnesses h...