Many older adults struggle with sleep, but a new study shows that these problems may have more serious consequences than we thought. Researchers from Penn State and Taipei Medical University studied sleep patterns and health data from thousands of adults over age 65 in the United States.
They found that people who had more trouble sleeping—and those who used sleep medication more often—were more likely to develop disabilities that made daily activities harder.
The study was published in the journal SLEEP and looked at five years of data from over 6,700 older adults. The team found that for every increase in sleep problems or medication use, there was also a higher risk of losing the ability to perform everyday tasks like getting dressed, bathing, or walking.
People who had both regular insomnia and used sleep medications often had the greatest risk of becoming disabled.
Insomnia is very common among older adults. About half of people over 65 report symptoms like difficulty falling asleep or waking up during the night. Many people turn to sleep medications for help. But this study suggests that both the sleep problems and the medications could be part of the reason why older adults lose their ability to care for themselves.
Each year that a person had more insomnia symptoms, their chance of becoming disabled went up by 20%. A similar increase in risk was linked to more frequent sleep medication use. The researchers used a national survey called the National Health and Aging Trends Study, which followed a large group of Medicare patients starting in 2011.
Participants were asked questions every year about their ability to do basic self-care and mobility tasks, such as eating, getting dressed, using the toilet, getting out of bed, or walking outside.
To measure disability, the team used a scoring system. People who could do an activity on their own got a low score, while those who needed help or couldn’t do it at all got higher scores. If someone’s score increased by two points or more, it meant a meaningful drop in their ability to care for themselves.
The study also measured how often people had insomnia or used sleep medications. Both were rated on a five-point scale, from “never” to “every night.” The results showed that even small increases in either insomnia symptoms or medication use were linked to higher disability scores the following year.
According to the researchers, these findings highlight the importance of taking sleep issues seriously in older adults. Dr. Tuo-Yu “Tim” Chen, the study’s lead author, explained that over time, people who go from never using sleep medication to using it every night could be at real risk for disability.
While not every individual will have the same outcome, the pattern is clear: poor sleep and frequent medication use are both linked to declining health.
Another concern is that sleep medications may increase the risk of falls, which are a common cause of injury and disability in older adults. Previous studies by the same team found that sleep drugs can affect balance and alertness, making falls more likely.
The researchers say that instead of relying on medication, older adults should seek safer ways to manage sleep problems. One of the most effective treatments is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a method that helps people change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors related to sleep. CBT doesn’t carry the same risks as medication and has been proven to work well.
Dr. Soomi Lee, one of the study’s authors, noted that many older people think poor sleep is just part of getting older—but it’s not something that should be ignored. Talking to a doctor about sleep issues is important. Doctors can check if other medications are causing sleep problems and refer patients to safer treatments.
In short, the study shows that insomnia and sleep medications are not just nighttime problems—they can lead to real physical decline over time. Managing sleep problems properly could help older adults stay healthier and more independent as they age.
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The research findings can be found in SLEEP.
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