Abstract
Prevalence of majority of frequent sleep disorders increases with age. Physiological changes in sleep architecture appear in the process of aging.
Healthy people are however adapting to ongoing natural sleep changes without problems and are satisfied with their sleep. Sleep disorders are associated with serious consequences.
Older people with impaired slep have 1.6 to 2 times higher mortality compared to those with normal sleep. lncreased mortality is often related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, tumor proliferation and suicides. Chronic sleep problems are associated with impaired cognitive functions.
Correct diagnostics of the symptoms, especially differentiation of secondary forms, is important. When treating secondary sleep disorders we always strive for the best possible compensation of somatic or other psychiatric comorbidities.
From differential diagnostics point of view it is necessary to distinguish, in addition to other sleep disorders, also disorders caused by lack of sleep hygiene.