Secular Trends in Sleep Conditions in Chinese Elderly Individuals: A National Population-Based Study

Abstract

Purpose As one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world, the elderly population is expected to reach over 400 million in China by 2032. Many studies have suggested a positive association between sleep duration and adverse health events among elderly individuals. This study aimed to investigate the sleep conditions of Chinese elderly individuals between 2005 and 2018. Patients and methods Data for 53,013 elderly individuals were taken from five cycles of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) during 2005–2018. Sex- and age-specific means and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to estimate sleep duration trends. Changes in sleep patterns were explored during this period. The prevalence of short and long sleep durations was assessed and age-standardized by the 2010 census. Finally, self-reported sleep quality was used to determine sleep conditions from another perspective among elderly individuals. Results The mean sleep duration decreased from 7.87 (95% CI: 7.83–7.91) to 7.29 (95% CI: 7.25–7.33) hours between 2005 and 2018. Changes in sleep duration patterns were found during the study period. The proportion of the elderly population who slept ≤6 hours increased and that of those who slept ≥9 hours decreased noticeably over the past 13 years. The age-standardized prevalence of short sleep duration increased from 32.7% (95% CI: 32.7–32.9%) to 38.4% (95% CI: 38.3–38.5%). A significant decrease was observed in the prevalence of long sleep duration. Conclusion Sleep conditions are gradually shifting toward a shorter sleep duration and poorer sleep quality among Chinese elderly individuals.

Persistently short or long sleep duration increases the risk of sensory impairment in Chinese older adults

“…Firstly, this study used the 2008–2014 data on sleep duration. Although sleep duration and altered sleep duration in this study is similar with other recent studies ( 45 , 46 ), older adults might have a downward trend in sleep duration over the past 13 years ( 47 ), and an increased prevalence of short sleep duration ( 48 ). The change in sleep duration indicates that more attention should be paid to the impact of abnormal sleep duration on health of older adults.…”

Associations Between Sleep Duration and Cardiometabolic Diseases Among Residents in Southwest China

“… 28 In 2022, it was demonstrated that approximately 41.3% of older individuals in China slept less than 6 hours per day, with an overall average of 6.5 hours. 29 Research conducted specifically in rural areas of China identified that 52.4% of older people slept less than seven hours. 30 …”