Understanding and Managing Sleep Difficulties in the Elderly

Insomnia is a common complaint in the geriatric population with studies indicating that 23-34 % of el-derly report symptoms of insomnia. Age-related changes in sleep physiology, diseases common in the elderly, and drug therapies common in the treatment of these diseases may result in difficulties with sleep. Managing these complaints requires a thorough evaluation to determine the etiology of insomnia since it is a symptom and not a disease. Additionally, when treating insomnia, non-pharmacologic is-sues need consideration before initiating drug therapy. A variety of pharmacologic agents are available to treat insomnia short term. Recently, two new novel agents have been added to the armamentarium of drugs that have some advantages over older, traditional agents