CMAJ • April 24, 2007; 176 (9). doi:10.1503/cmaj.060792.
© 2007 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association.
This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wolkove, N.
Right arrow Articles by Palayew, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Wolkove, N.
Right arrow Articles by Palayew, M.
Related Collections
Right arrow Other geriatric medicine
Right arrow Sleep disorders

Review

Sleep and aging: 1. Sleep disorders commonly found in older people

Norman Wolkove, Osama Elkholy, Marc Baltzan and Mark Palayew

From the Sleep Clinic, Mount Sinai Hospital Center, and the Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Que.

Correspondence to: Dr. Norman Wolkove, Mount Sinai Hospital Center, 5690 Cavendish Blvd., Montréal QC H4W 1S7; fax 514 369-2225; norluco{at}yahoo.com

Abstract

Aging is associated with several well-described changes in patterns of sleep. Typically, there is a phase advance in the normal circadian sleep cycle: older people tend to go to sleep earlier in the evening but also to wake earlier. They may also wake more frequently during the night and experience fragmented sleep. The prevalence of many sleep disorders increases with age. Insomnia, whether primary or secondary to coexistant illness or medication use, is very common among elderly people. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder and narcolepsy, although less common, are frequently not considered for this population. Periodic leg-movement disorder, a frequent cause of interrupted sleep, can be easily diagnosed with electromyography during nocturnal polysomnography. Restless legs syndrome, however, is diagnosed clinically. Snoring is a common sleep-related respiratory disorder; so is obstructive sleep apnea, which is increasingly seen among older people and is significantly associated with cardio-and cerebrovascular disease as well as cognitive impairment.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Eur J OrthodHome page
L. Sonnesen, N. Petri, I. Kjaer, and P. Svanholt
Cervical column morphology in adult patients with obstructive sleep apnoea
Eur J Orthod, October 1, 2008; 30(5): 521 - 526.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
N. Wolkove, O. Elkholy, M. Baltzan, and M. Palayew
Sleep and aging: 2. Management of sleep disorders in older people
Can. Med. Assoc. J., May 8, 2007; 176(10): 1449 - 1454.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]