What exactly is a sleep disorder?
Sleep disorders are syndromes characterized by difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep at night, difficulty in maintaining wakefulness during the day, or abnormal behavior associated with sleep, all of which are subjectively or objectively distressing to the patient. Sleep disorders are generally classified into syndromes of insomnia, hypersomnia, and parasomnia. • Is “sundowning” a sleep disorder? Twilight psychosis or “sundowning” (increased confusion or restlessness late in the day) is not a sleep disorder. • What is the most common sleep complaint in older adults? Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint in older adults. Surveys indicate that 15 percent to 75 percent of elderly persons residing at home or in an extended care facility are dissatisfied with either the duration or the quality of their nocturnal sleep. Insomnia in older adults is usually multifactorial. In the long-term care setting, acute insomnia is transient and is related to environmental or psychologic st
