Symptoms of sleep disorders in the elderly

Sleep is very important, no matter whether you are a man or a woman, young or old, the quality of your sleep determines your mental quality of the day, and you can also detoxify while sleeping, so sleep is very important. Sleep disorders in the elderly refer to the reduced sleep ability of the elderly. The causes of poor sleep ability in the elderly are very complex and there are many of them.

Sleep disorders in the elderly cause them to always be unable to fall asleep, so they need to adjust their eating habits and daily routines, which can help to a certain extent. What are the symptoms of sleep disorders in the elderly? Let's take a look at the symptoms of sleep disorders in the elderly.

Symptoms: 1. Difficulty falling asleep and maintaining sleep Due to a variety of causes or interfering factors, the elderly often have difficulty falling asleep and cannot maintain sleep; this is manifested by prolonged sleep latency and shortened effective sleep time. Early rising or owl-like nighttime activity is common among older adults due to a shortened sleep-wake cycle at night caused by reduced daytime activity or napping. Furthermore, with age or disease, circadian rhythm disorders of sleep become more obvious, manifested as day and night reversal, time-difference sleep disorder and circadian rhythm disorders caused by night work.

2. Sleep breathing disorders are more common in people over 50 years old. Breathing disorders may occur after sleep, such as sleep apnea, sleep-exacerbated respiratory disease, nocturnal aspiration or nocturnal paroxysmal dyspnea. Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is the most common sleep breathing disorder in the elderly, accounting for 70% of sleep disorders. The incidence rate increases with age, and the male-to-female ratio is 5:1 to 10:1. SAS is divided into three types, namely obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, which means that the airflow to the mouth and nose stops, but the chest and abdominal breathing movements exist), central sleep apnea (CSA, which means that the airflow to the mouth and nose stops, and the chest and abdominal breathing movements also stop) and mixed sleep apnea (MSA, which means that in one respiratory apnea, CSA occurs first, followed by OSA). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by loud snoring, wheezing or nasal sounds after breathing pauses of >10 seconds, and relief of obstruction. Repeated occurrence of OSA can significantly reduce blood oxygen levels and increase blood pressure. Mild symptoms include snoring (habitual snoring, even if it is not sleep apnea, can aggravate heart disease or high blood pressure and is a common symptom of OSA), irritability, daytime sleepiness, depression, headache, nocturia, and impotence. Severe cases may cause nocturnal sleep arrhythmias, sudden death, stroke, pulmonary hypertension, convulsions, and decreased cognitive function. Patients with SAS have an increased incidence of cerebrovascular disease, especially ischemic stroke.

To improve the quality of sleep, you must start from many aspects so that you can get a good night's sleep. There are also many potential diseases that affect sleep, so good living habits can eliminate these potential diseases one by one. If you want to sleep well and have a good body, adjust your living habits so that you can enjoy life better.