Insomnia in the elderly and contemporary treatment methods

Introduction: Insomnia is one of the most common health problems of modern times and the third most common reason for presenting to the primary care doctor after headache and gastrointestinal symptoms. Aim: The aim of this article is to present current treatments for insomnia in older people over 65 years of age, focusing on cognitive-behavioural therapy complemented by pharmacological treatment. State of the art brief: The prevalence of insomnia can be as high as 19%. The problem mainly affects older people. It is caused not only by the physiological changes occurring in the process of ageing, but also by the numerous diseases from which seniors suffer. Insufficient sleep can lead to many illnesses or aggravate existing ones, which is particularly dangerous for the aforementioned age group. The treatment of insomnia is based on non-pharmacological methods, which include cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy and sleep hygiene education, and on pharmacological treatment, in which a wide range of drugs are used. In daily practice, mainly benzodiazepines and their derivatives, antidepressants and melatonin are used. Conclusions: Insomnia is a very significant problem worsening daytime functioning, negatively affecting quality of life. Therefore, appropriate diagnosis of sleep disorders is important, as it may facilitate the identification of the potential cause of the disorder and the introduction of appropriate management.