ABSTRACT
Research shows that there is a consensus between elderly and younger adults in respect of the high value that they attach to rest and sleep for their day to day well-being (Canada Fitness Survey, 1982). Yet in the case of the elderly, there are likely to be a greater diversity of factors which impinge upon sleep, due to their increased susceptibility to physical and mental infirmity and, in addition, to the adverse effects of possible endogenous alterations in circadian rhythms (Borbely and Valatx, 1984). Sleep laboratory (psychophysiological) and survey (self-report) evidence confirms that the elderly experience proportionately greater disturbances in their sleep-wake functioning than younger adults, and, as a consequence, have a commensurately higher level of hypnotic drug usage (see review by Miles and Dement, 1980). However, while there would appear to be no paucity of knowledge about the adverse effects of hypnotic (and other) drugs taken by the elderly (e.g., Castledon et al, 1978; Williamson and Chopin, 1980; and Morgan, 1983) there seems to be little evidence regarding their actual efficacy amongst older people (Miles and Dement, 1980).
