Diagnosis of Sleep Disorders in Elderly
A Good medical history and an accurately maintained sleep diary help to diagnose sleep problems in the elderly.
Many ‘senior citizens’ experience insomnia and other sleep difficulties on a regular basis, but are unsure about handling sleeplessness.
A self-screening questionnaire may help to determine a sleep problem. Some of the questions are:
- Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you fall asleep easily, then wake up 5 hours later and cannot get back to asleep?
- Do you wake up several times during the night and have trouble staying asleep?
- Do you feel well rested and alert after a night’s sleep?
- Do you feel tired and inattentive after a night’s sleep?
If your answer is Yes, to any of the above questions you could be suffering from sleep disturbances and may need to consult a doctor to determine the cause.
A good history is important, as the doctor needs to be aware of any health condition or medication that the person is taking. It is possible that they maybe taking medications for a medical condition that has a side effect and affects their sleep. The history should also include details such as over-the-counter medications, use of coffee, tea or alcohol intake. All these have an impact on sleep.
It may be very helpful to maintain a sleep diary for a week or more. A sleep diary will help the doctor to analyze the sleep habits which will help to determine the impact these habits have on the sleep.
If a sleep specialist needs more information, he or she may ask for an overnight sleep study, also called a Polysomnogram. This is a test that measures waves of the brain, heart rate, breathing patterns and body movements while one is asleep.
A common sleepiness test is the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT). During this test, the person has an opportunity to nap every two hours during the daytime. If the person falls asleep too quickly, then it may mean that he or she is suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness.
