Disorders of Sleep in the Older Adult

 

OVERVIEW

Although normal aging is accompanied by decreased “deep sleep,” SE, and increased time awake after sleep onset, these changes should not result in excessive daytime sleepiness, increased risk of falls, or insomnia. Impaired sleep results in decreased health and functional outcomes in older adults.

 

BACKGROUND

A. Definition

  1. Sleep disorders involve problems with the quality, timing, and amount of sleep, which cause problems with functioning and distress during the daytime.
  2. Sleep disorders can affect overall health, safety, and quality of life. In older adults, OSA, insomnia, RLS, and Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder are common. These disorders result in excessive daytime sleepiness, cognitive dysfunction, nocturia, high risk of falls, and increased morbidity and mortality.

B. Etiology and epidemiology

  1. There are many types of sleep diagnoses, and the most common disorders reported by older adults are OSA, insomnia, and RLS.
  2. Approximately 5% of older adults have chronic insomnia disorder, 40% to 70% experience insomnia symptoms, up to 56% (in women) and 70% (in men) have OSA (Miner & Kryger, 2017), and approximately 15% of adults older than 40 report RLS (Broström et al., 2023).

PARAMETERS OF ASSESSMENT

A. A sleep history (see Table 31.1) should include information from both the patient and the family members. People who share living and sleeping spaces can provide important information about sleep behavior that the patient may not be able to convey.

B. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a brief instrument to screen for severity of daytime sleepiness in the community setting. 

C. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (www.thoracic.org/members/assemblies/assemblies/srn/questionaires/index.php) is useful in screening for sleep problems in the home environment and in monitoring changes in sleep quality.

D. The Insomnia Severity Index (www.thoracic.org/members/assemblies/assemblies/srn/questionaires/index.php) is a seven-item, self-report questionnaire used to screen for insomnia severity. This single measure provides the clinician the ability to assess the mismatch between sleep opportunities and sleep ability, and the effects of treatment.

NURSING CARE STRATEGIES

A. Vigilance by nursing staff in observing patients for snoring, apneas during sleep, excessive leg movements during sleep, and difficulty staying awake during normal daytime activities (Avidan, 2005)

B. Management of medical conditions, psychological disorders, and symptoms that interfere with sleep, such as depression, pain, hot flashes, anemia, or uremia (Avidan, 2005)

C. For patients with a current diagnosis of a sleep disorder, documentation, maintenance, and reinforcement of ongoing treatments, such as CPAP, through patient and family education (Avidan, 2005); reinforcement by nursing staff of patient instruction on cleaning and maintaining positive airway pressure equipment and masks

D. Instructions for patients and families regarding sleep hygiene techniques to protect and promote sleep among all family members (see Box 31.1; Avidan, 2005)

E. Review and, if necessary, adjustment of medications that interact with one another or whose side effects include drowsiness or sleep impairment (Miner & Kryger, 2017), referring also to the Beers Criteria for potentially inappropriate medications for older adults (Semla et al., 2023)

F. Referral to a sleep specialist for moderate or severe sleepiness or a clinical profile consistent with major sleep disorders such as OSA or RLS (Avidan, 2005)

G. Aggressive planning, monitoring, and management of patients with OSA when sedative medication or anesthesia is given (Avidan, 2005)

H. Ongoing assessment of adherence to prescriptions for sleep hygiene, medications, and devices to support respiration during sleep (Avidan, 2005)

I. Avoiding waking the patient for routine care, such as baths, vital signs, and routine blood tests (American Academy of Nursing, 2015)

EVALUATION AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES

A. Quality assurance actions

  1. Provide staff education on the major causes of sleep disorders (e.g., OSA, insomnia, RLS).
  2. Provide staff with in-services on how to use and monitor CPAP equipment.
  3. Have individual nursing units conduct environmental surveys regarding noise level during the night hours, and then develop strategies to reduce sleep disruption caused by noise and care patterns.
  4. Add sleep as a parameter of the admission assessment for patients and provide written instructions for patients using CPAP at home to always bring the equipment with them to the hospital. Include sleep quality in the assessment.
  5. Use posthospital surveys of patient satisfaction with sleep while in the hospital, and provide feedback for nursing staff.

B. Quality outcomes

  1. Improved quality of sleep during normal sleep intervals as reported by patients and staff
  2. Improved quantity of sleep during normal sleep intervals as reported by patients and staff

FOLLOW-UP MONITORING

A. Depending on the diagnosis, follow-up may include long-term reinforcement of the original interventions along with support for adhering to treatments prescribed by a sleep specialist. For example, patient compliance with CPAP therapy for OSA is critical to its efficacy and should be assessed during the first week of treatment (Kapur et al., 2017). All patients benefit from positive reinforcement while trying to acclimate to nightly use of a positive airway pressure device.

B. CPAP masks may require minor adjustments or refitting to find the most comfortable fit. Most such changes are needed during the acclimation period, but patients should be encouraged to seek assistance if mask problems develop (Avellan‑Hietanen et al., 2022). In the acute care setting, respiratory care technicians are valuable in-house resources when staff from a sleep center are not readily available.

C. During the initial treatment phase of insomnia, sleep deprivation may cause rebound sleepiness, which should subside over time. Follow-up should include ongoing assessment of napping habits and sleepiness to track treatment effectiveness (Avidan, 2005).

D. If obesity has been a complicating health factor, weight loss is a desirable long-term goal. Treatment of sleep disorders should include planning for strategic changes in lifestyle that include weight loss and regular exercise, which is also consistent with cardiovascular health and long-term diabetes control (Kapur et al., 2017; Miner & Kryger, 2017).

ABBREVIATIONS

CPAP   continuous positive airway pressure

OSA     obstructive sleep apnea

PSQI    Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

SE        sleep efficiency

RLS     restless legs syndrome

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Updated: January 2025

Boltz PhD, RN, GNP-BC, FGSA, FAAN, M., Capezuti, PhD, RN, FAAN, E.A., & Fulmer PhD, RN, FAAN, T. T. (2025). Evidence-Based Geriatric Nursing Protocols for Best Practice (7th ed.). Springer Publishing. Retrieved December 17, 2024, from https://www.springerpub.com/evidence-based-geriatric-nursing-protocols-for-best-practice-9780826152763.html#tableofcontents

Chapter 31, Baniak, L., Jeon, B., Weiss, C. & Morris, J.L. (2025) Disorders of Sleep

 

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