Management of primary sleep disorders among elderly persons [published erratum appears in Psychiatr Serv 1995 Feb;46(2):156]
Abstract
Sleep complaints are common in geriatric patients. The clinician's first task is to separate sleep problems originating in the physiologic changes of aging from those originating in pathological processes. Normal elderly persons have greater difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, compared with younger persons, and sleep is qualitatively more shallow with more involuntary movements and abnormal breathing. Sleep complaints reach a pathological level as elders begin to experience deterioration of function during their period of normal wakefulness, manifested as excessive sleepiness, concentration deficits, and mood changes, or the emergence of bizarre or dangerous behavior during sleep. Sleep disorders are associated with excess physical and psychiatric morbidity and are treatable. An approach focused on sleep-related syndromes is a useful basis for rational treatment, and the treatment of many sleep disorders can be provided without expensive sleep laboratory testing.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).