Sleep disorder or simple sleep ontogeny? Tendency for morningness is associated with worse sleep quality in the elderly

Author(s)

A.A. Barbosa ^[1] ; M.A.L. Miguel ^[2] ; S. Tufik ^[3] ; F.C. Sabino ^[4] ; M.S. Cendoroglo ^[5] ; M. Pedrazzoli ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Departamento de Psicobiologia - Brasil

^[2] Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Departamento de Fisiologia - Brasil

^[3] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Departamento de Psicobiologia - Brasil

^[4] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Departamento de Psicobiologia - Brasil

^[5] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Departamento de Geriatria - Brasil

^[6] Universidade de São Paulo. Ciências e Humanidades. Escola de Artes - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research; v. 49, n. 10 2016-10-10.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the alterations in sleep and circadian parameters during the aging process. The study sample comprises volunteers older than 18 up to 90 years of age that answered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Horne and Östberg circadian preference questionnaire. We observed that the shift to morningness with increasing age is associated with a significant worsening in sleep quality. We discuss that this sleep profile characterized by morningness and worse sleep quality observed in elderly, when compared to younger people, reflects not necessarily a pathological state, but an expected profile for this age group. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/05804-5 - Phenotypic characterization of circadian rhythms in different genotype individuals for clock gene polymorphisms in different regions in Brazil: an emphasis on the effect of the gene PER3 and latitude
• Grantee: Mario Pedrazzoli Neto
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 98/14303-3 - Center for Sleep Studies
• Grantee: Sergio Tufik
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC