The Sleep in the Elderly

Background: The sleep problems of the elderly are still under debate, and no consensus reached. Therefore, we aimed to comprehend the changes in the sleep patterns of the elderly. Methods: Between January 1, 2019, and January 1, 2024, this retrospective study was conducted on 60 individuals aged 65 and over who applied to the Ear, Nose, and Throat clinic, as well as on 50 healthy young individuals. Results: The total sleep time and the rapid eye movement sleep duration were reduced. The stage N3 sleep was shorter. The number of arousals was higher. The arousal index was low. The apnea-hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index were higher. The mean oxygen saturation levels and the minimum oxygen saturation values were lower. The oxygen saturation below 90% was significantly higher in the elderly. The sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, sleep latency, rapid eye movement latency, stage N1, stage N2, and heart rates were not different from the control group. Conclusion: As a conclusion, the elderly sleep less with more awakenings. They have a light sleep mostly. They sleep at lower oxygen levels for a longer duration. Cite this article as: Yalım SD. The sleep in the elderly. Balkan ORL-HNS 2024;1(3):94-97.