Link between sleep, cognitive impairment in the elderly

Daytime sleepiness is very common in the elderly with prevalence rates of up to 50 percent. Caused by sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), a disruption of normal breathing during sleep, these cause recurrent awakenings and subsequent excessive daytime sleepiness. Now a researcher stresses that it is time for physicians to consider the association between these sleep conditions and cognitive impairment in the elderly.