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Schlaf und seine Störungen im Alter

Sleep and its disorders in the elderly

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Zusammenfassung

Ein erholsamer Schlaf ist ein bedeutender Faktor zum Erhalt von Gesundheit und Lebensqualität. Die Schlafqualität zeigt eine deutliche Altersabhängigkeit; v. a. jenseits des 75. Lebensjahres treten gehäuft Schlafstörungen auf. Es besteht eine signifikante Assoziation zwischen Schlafstörungen und weiblichem Geschlecht, geringer sozialer Aktivität und Lebenszufriedenheit, mit depressiven Symptomen, Schmerzen, mit der Einnahme von Hypnotika sowie einer genetischen Vorbelastung. Schlafstörungen erhöhen die Morbidität sowie Mortalität. Ansätze zur Verbesserung des Schlafs sollten folgende Maßnahmen umfassen: 1) die effektive Behandlung somatischer und psychiatrischer Erkrankungen, 2) die Elimination von Faktoren der Lebensgestaltung, die die Schlafqualität beeinflussen, 3) den Einsatz von Lichttherapie und anderen nichtpharmakologischen Behandlungsmethoden über längere Zeiträume und 4) einen kurzzeitigen und bedarfsangepassten Einsatz von Schlafmitteln. Dabei sollte berücksichtigt werden, dass Medikamente bei älteren Menschen niedriger dosiert werden müssen.

Abstract

Restorative sleep is an important factor for preservation of health and quality of life. Sleep quality is associated with age, i.e., sleep disorders occur more frequently particularly after the age of 75 years. Furthermore, sleep shows an association with female gender, inactivity, dissatisfaction with social life, depressive symptoms, pain, intake of sedatives, genetic predisposition, and increased morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Strategies for improving sleep should include (1) effective treatment of organic diseases and mental disorders, (2) elimination of social life factors that impair sleep quality, (3) light therapy and other nonpharmacological treatment options for longer periods, and (4) short-term use of sleep medication as required. For the latter, it should be kept in mind that lower doses are needed in the elderly.

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Interessenkonflikt

Der korrespondierende Autor weist auf folgende Beziehungen hin: Die Autorin war in den vergangenen 3 Jahren als Referentin für folgende Firmen tätig bzw. hat ein Beraterhonorar oder eine Reisekostenübernahme erhalten: Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen-Cilag, Pfizer, Hoffmann-La Roche AG, UCB Pharma.

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  1. Institut für Klinische Neurophysiologie, Klinikum Bremen-Ost, Lehrkrankenhaus der Universität Göttingen, Züricher Str. 40, 28325, Bremen, Deutschland

    S. Happe

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Happe, S. Schlaf und seine Störungen im Alter. Somnologie 16, 80–87 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-012-0564-y

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