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Sleep Disturbances and Falls in Older People

¹ Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord RG Hospital and the University of Sydney, Australia.
² Greypath Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia.
³ ANZAC Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.

Address correspondence to David G. Le Couteur, MBBS, PhD, Center for Education and Research on Ageing (CERA), Concord Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2139, Australia. E-mail: dlecouteur{at}med.usyd.edu.au

Background. Sleep disturbances are common in older people and may contribute to risk of falling.

Methods. Cross-sectional studies were performed in hostels and with an Internet-based survey. Questionnaires on falls and sleep disturbances were undertaken with clinical measures of cognition, mobility, blood pressure, and vision in the participants in hostels.

Results. There were 150 participants in hostels (mean age 81 ± 8 years) and 150 respondents to the Internet survey (mean age 70 ± 5 years). Sleep disturbances were reported by most participants in both the hostel and Internet studies. In hostel participants, falls were associated with poor sleep quality (odds ratio = 4.5, 95% confidence interval, 1.9-12.2; p =.002) and number of nocturnal awakenings (2.5 ± 1.5 vs 2.0 ± 1.4, p =.04). Other risk factors for falls in these persons included Geriatric Depression Scale score, pain, Timed Get Up and Go Test score, and the use of diuretics. In the Internet respondents, risk factors for falls included poor health rating and the use of spectacles, bifocals, and walking aids; fewer falls were reported by those participants without any sleep disturbances.

Conclusions. Sleep disturbances are common in older people and are associated with their risk of falling. Internet-based surveys may be a useful adjunct method for research in older people.

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