Sometimes it's just a sign of interrupted nighttime sleeping due to poor sleep habits, an uncomfortable environment, the aches and pains of aging or a side effect of medications. But excessive daytime sleep in the elderly can also point to impaired nighttime breathing and other sleep disorders.

What causes excessive sleeping in the elderly?

Significant changes in sleep accompany aging for most adults. There are a variety of potential causes including SDB, circadian rhythm disturbances, RLS/PLMS, RBD, depression and other psychiatric disorders, medical illness, and medications. The diagnosis requires a good sleep history and at times, a sleep study.

Is sleeping a lot a symptom of dementia?

Sleeping more and more is a common feature of later-stage dementia. As the disease progresses, the damage to a person's brain becomes more extensive and they gradually become weaker and frailer over time.