Risk for Falls in Older Women: The Sleep Factor

Among older people, falls constitute an immense health problem. Although falls are not always fatal, they often are associated with morbidities and premature placement in nursing homes. Many factors contribute to risk for falls in older adults, including hypotension, cognitive impairment, balance or gait problems, and use of medications that could affect mental alertness. Sleep disturbances, which are common in older women (JW Womens Health Apr 10 2008), also have been implicated. However, most studies have been lacking in objective sleep data and adequate control for confounders.

Researchers examined the relation between sleep characteristics and risk for recurrent falls in 2978 primarily community-dwelling older women (mean age, 84). Parti…