Many older adults have trouble sleeping, and this can be more than just an inconvenience.
A new study has found that poor sleep and regular use of sleep medication may lead to serious problems in daily life for people over 65.
Researchers from Penn State University and Taipei Medical University studied over 6,700 older adults in the U.S. for five years.
They discovered that people with more sleep problems or who used more sleep medication were more likely to become disabled in doing everyday activitie…
Insomnia is a condition where people have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early. About half of people over age 65 report some symptoms of insomnia. These symptoms can hurt mental, physical, and emotional health. The new study shows that sleep issues may also affect a person’s ability to care for themselves or move around.
The researchers looked at data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a long-term study that collects health information from older Amer…
They found that every increase in insomnia symptoms made a person 20% more likely to become disabled the following year. A similar risk was found for increased use of sleep medications. People who both had sleep problems and used sleep medicine regularly had the highest risk of disability.
Sleep medications might make things worse by increasing the risk of falls, which can lead to injuries and long-term disability. These medications may also cause other side effects in older adults, especially when used for a long time.
Insomnia and sleep problems need to be treated properly and safely. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one effective method. It helps people change their thoughts and habits that make it hard to sleep. Unlike medication, CBT has no harmful side effects and can be more helpful in the long run.
The researchers encourage older adults to talk to their doctors about sleep issues. Many people think that poor sleep is just a part of aging, but that’s not true. Sleep problems should not be ignored. Doctors can check if medications are causing sleep issues and help find safer solutions.
This study highlights the importance of treating insomnia early. If ignored, it may slowly lead to disability and reduce quality of life. The findings are especially important for older people living in rural areas, where access to sleep clinics may be limited. In such cases, individuals may need to speak up and ask for help to get the care they need.
The research was published in the journal Sleep and supported by the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan.
The study is published in SLEEP.
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