Insufficient Sleep - Age 65+ in Nevada

Nevada

More than a third of adults in the United States do not get enough sleep regularly. Sleep is critical for basic functions such as cognitive processing, mood regulation, blood sugar level and immune system response. Insufficient sleep is recognized as a threat to public health and is linked to a bevy of chronic diseases, including cancer, depression, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease. 

Sleep is equally important for the physical and emotional health of older adults as it is for younger individuals; however, it may be harder for older adults to achieve sufficient sleep. Older adults are more prone to insomnia and sleep apnea, both of which can drastically reduce sleep quality. Additionally, sleep disturbances are more common among those who use medications for chronic conditions, a circumstance that becomes more likely with age.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of insufficient sleep is higher among:

• Older women compared with older men.
• Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Asian and Black older adults compared with white older adults.
• Older adults with less than a high school education compared with those with higher levels of education.
• Older adults with an annual household income less than $25,000 compared with those with higher levels of income.
• Older adults who have difficulty with self-care compared with older adults who do not have a disability.

The National Institutes of Health recommends that adults sleep seven to eight hours nightly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers tips for better sleep, including going to bed at the same time each night and removing electronic devices from the bedroom.

Solutions specific to older adults should include a comprehensive medical examination to identify treatable factors contributing to sleep deficiency, including primary sleep disorders, acute and chronic medical conditions, behavioral and psychological stressors, environmental triggers and medications.

It is important to have conversations with your primary care doctor about your sleep problems if these issues are affecting your mental health and overall well-being. Symptoms of a sleep disorder may include:

• Having trouble sleeping even though you’re tired.
• Having trouble falling back asleep when awakened.
• Feeling tired after a full night’s sleep.
• Relying on sleeping pills to fall asleep.
• Having difficulty staying awake when driving, sitting or watching television.

Healthy People 2030 has a goal to increase the proportion of adults who get sufficient sleep.

Gaur, Archana, Ariyanachi Kaliappan, Yuvaraj Balan, Varatharajan Sakthivadivel, Kalpana Medala, and Madhusudhan Umesh. “Sleep and Alzheimer: The Link.” Maedica - A Journal of Clinical Medicine 17, no. 1 (March 15, 2022). https://doi.org/10.26574/maedica.2022.17.1.177.

Hale, Lauren, Wendy Troxel, and Daniel J. Buysse. “Sleep Health: An Opportunity for Public Health to Address Health Equity.” Annual Review of Public Health 41, no. 1 (April 2, 2020): 81–99. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094412.

Medic, Goran, Micheline Wille, and Michiel E. H. Hemels. “Short- and Long-Term Health Consequences of Sleep Disruption.” Nature and Science of Sleep 2017, no. 9 (May 19, 2017): 151–61. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S134864.

Miner, Brienne, and Meir H. Kryger. “Sleep in the Aging Population.” Sleep Medicine Clinics 12, no. 1 (March 2017): 31–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2016.10.008.

Suzuki, Keisuke, Masayuki Miyamoto, and Koichi Hirata. “Sleep Disorders in the Elderly: Diagnosis and Management.” Journal of General and Family Medicine 18, no. 2 (2017): 61–71.https://doi.org/10.1002/jgf2.27.