Sleep Patterns in Octogenarians

Age-Related Changes in Sleep

• Decreased total REM sleep occurs as part of normal aging, with most significant sleep architecture changes occurring between ages 19-60, and more modest changes after age 60 in healthy individuals 1, 2
• Sleep interruptions by long periods of wakefulness can fragment REM sleep cycles 1, 2
• REM sleep still occurs in approximately 90-minute cycles, with more REM sleep typically in the last half of the night 1, 2

Clinical Considerations

• Medical and psychiatric comorbidities exacerbate age-dependent sleep disruption, including further reductions in REM sleep 1, 2
• Common medications used by elderly patients can suppress REM sleep, including tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors 2, 3