Sleep

Many aspects of sleep change gradually from infancy to old age. A variety of primary sleep disorders that are relatively uncommon in younger age groups become more common in old age, and many medical conditions that increase in prevalence with age also disrupt sleep. Even those sleep changes that are typical of healthy older people may be problematic for many. Thus, there is a high probability that older people will complain about the quality of their sleep. Addressing these problems requires an understanding of normal sleep patterns at different phases of the life span, of the pathologies of sleep that arise during aging, and of the treatment options available.