Sleep disorders in older people

Sleep complaints are common among older people. As there are often multiple contributing factors, insomnia should be considered a symptom, and not a d iagnosis. There is a high prevalence of sleep apnea and nocturnal myoclonus . When these primary sleep disorders are suspected, the patient should be r eferred for polysomnography. Use of hypnotics should be discouraged for chr onic insomnia. More research is needed to clarify the role of light therapy and melatonin in the treatment of sleep disorders in older people.(C) 1999 , Editrice Kurtis.