Insomnia Symptoms in Older Adults: Associated Factors and Gender Differences
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Objectives the aim of this study was to examine the factors associated with insomnia in community-dwelling elderly as a function of the nature and number of insomnia symptoms (IS), e.g., difficulty with initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty with maintaining sleep (DMS), and early morning awakening (EMA).Methods is were assessed in a sample of 2,673 men and 3,213 women aged 65 years and older. The participants were administered standardized questionnaires regarding the frequency of IS and other sleep characteristics (snoring, nightmares, sleeping medication, and sleepiness) and various sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical variables, and measures of physical and mental health.Results more than 70% of men and women reported at least one IS, DMS being the most prevalent symptom in both men and women. Women reported more frequently two or three IS, whereas men reported more often only one IS. Multivariate regression analyses stratified by gender showed that men and women shared numerous factors associated with IS, sleeping medication, nightmares, sleepiness, chronic diseases, and depression being independently associated with two or three IS. For both sexes, age was associated with only one IS in all age categories. Loud snoring was strongly associated with increased DMS in men only. High body mass index increased the risk for DIS in men but tended to decrease it in women. In women, hormonal replacement therapy, Mediterranean diet, and caffeine and alcohol intake had a protective effect.Conclusion our data suggest that women may have specific predisposition factors of multiple IS, which may involve both behavioral and hormonal factors. Identification and treatment of these risk factors may form the basis of an intervention program for reduction of IS in the elderly.
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Insomnia occurs more frequently in women than in men.
“Regarding sex differences in the prevalence of insomnia, many studies have reported that insomnia occurs more frequently in women [37].”
From Effect of Caffeine Consumption on the Risk for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: Sex Differences in Human (2020) · cites this paper as [37]
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“Regarding sex differences in the prevalence of insomnia, many studies have reported that insomnia occurs more frequently in women [37].”
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- Authors
- Jaussent, I., Dauvilliers, Y., Ancelin, M.-L., Dartigues, J.-F., Tavernier, B., Touchon, J., Ritchie, K., & Besset, A.
- Affiliations
- Inserm (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Besset, Alain
- Venue
- The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-01
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 88-97
- ISSN
- 1064-7481 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3179987
- OpenAlex
- W2047194911
- Cited by
- 286
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 15.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-07-LVIE-0004)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Keywords
- insomnia, older adults, gender differences, difficulty maintaining sleep, difficulty initiating sleep, early morning awakening, snoring, body mass index, hormone replacement therapy, Mediterranean diet, caffeine consumption, alcohol consumption, sleep medication, nightmares, depression, chronic disease, sleepiness
- MeSH terms
- Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, France, Humans, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Male, Risk Factors, Sex Characteristics, Sex Factors, Prevalence, Self Report
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