Diagnosing and treating sleep disorders in the older adult

Although the sleep of adults becomes lighter with age, disturbed sleep is not an inevitable part of aging. The sleep difficulties seen in the older adult are often a result of medical illness, medication use, circadian rhythm disturbances, specific sleep disorders, and behavioral problems. Treatment of these disorders should always begin with identifying the etiology, followed by a combined treatment of behavioral therapy and, if indicated, pharmacologic therapy.Although the sleep of adults becomes lighter with age, disturbed sleep is not an inevitable part of aging. The sleep difficulties seen in the older adult are often a result of medical illness, medication use, circadian rhythm disturbances, specific sleep disorders, and