Abstract Mkid 147

Sleep complaints are common in the elderly. A number of different somatic and mental diseases and symptoms are associated with sleep impairment. Sensory organ dysfunctions increase with age and seem to be a disregarded mechanism in the development of sleep impairment in the elderly. Blindness and visual impairment, hearing impairment and tinnitus are all associated with deterioration of sleep. In many elderly persons poor sleep may be attributed to a deterioration of their 24-hour rhythm. Such a disturbance is especially profound in blind persons, in whom severe sleep disturbances are prevalent. There is also an increase in sleep disturbances in visually impaired elderly persons, who suffer from different degrees of reduction of visual acuity with persisting light perception. A lack of light perception cannot therefore be the only causative mechanism in the development of sleep deterioration in visually impaired elderly persons. Among subjects with impaired hearing, poor sleep is also more common in both sexes, while frequent awakenings and difficulties in falling asleep after waking at night is more common in women. Poor hearing is also associated with increased daytime sleepiness independently of health, sleep status and age. The habit of taking naps is almost twice as common in this group as in the group with good hearing. Tinnitus sufferers of both sexes more often complain of poor sleep and frequent waking, while difficulties in falling asleep after waking at night are increased among women. In parallel with increased sleep deterioration in tinnitus sufferers, daytime sleepiness is also increased.