Ancoli-Israel conducted a study five years ago that exposed patients with dementia living in nursing homes to either morning or evening bright light in an effort to adjust the body’s circadian rhythms. These rhythms help determine when we sleep, and they change as we age.  Both techniques improved nighttime sleep.

But although research is helping to identify solutions, statistics indicate that more seniors are seeking medical remedies to their sleep problems. Between 2000 and 2004, use of prescription insomnia drugs rose by 16 percent among people 65 years and older, according to an analysis recently released by the prescription management firm Medco Health Solutions.

While there are certainly any number of sleep aids on the market, sleep medications might not be the best answer for all older adults, according to Dr. Sharon Brangman, professor of medicine and division chief, geriatrics, at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY.  They may make seniors confused and disoriented – symptoms that, in particular, should not be exaggerated in seniors who already suffer from them due to Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia’s. And those symptoms can wreak nighttime havoc in the lives of both seniors and their family caregivers.

While the issues of older adults with dementia-related illnesses are very different from those faced by seniors with sleep disorders and physical ailments, all of these factors contribute to psychological anxiety seniors may experience at night.

“Many seniors undoubtedly are anxious because they know it’s harder to reach help at night,” Ancoli-Israel said.  “There’s also more time to think about all of the things that might be going wrong.”

This is one of the most important reasons why companionship for seniors can be such a help in dealing with these nighttime anxiety problems, according to Hogan.

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