Functional disabilities and changes in sleep quality and duration among older adults: results from a longitudinal study in China, 2005-2014.

PURPOSE: We examined the associations of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) with changes in sleep-related measurements among Chinese older adults from 2005 to 2014.

METHODS

Four waves of longitudinal data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS; 2005-2014; n = 42,417) were used. Two sleep-related measurements were included: sleep quality and meeting the recommended daily sleep duration (7-8 h). We used Cox two-state regression models to examine the different states of sleep quality and duration.

RESULTS

Approximately 43.6% of observations were between 81 and 95 years old, and 35.9% were between 65 and 80 years old. Around 54.8% of observations were female. Older adults with more ADL and IADL limitations had a higher risk of experiencing declines in sleep quality and the transition from meeting to not meeting the recommended sleep duration over time (all p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

ADL and IADL limitations are significant risk factors for the development of sleep-related issues over time among Chinese older adults. Functional limitations need to be included in intervention strategies focused on sleep hygiene and studies examining changes in sleep patterns over time.