0851 FREQUENCY, DURATION AND PREDICTORS OF UNPLANNED AND LONG-DURATION NAPS AMONG A SAMPLE OF MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES

Abstract

Napping is a highly prevalent but poorly understood form of sleep in older adults. Research suggests that naps are associated with older age, being male, and multiple comorbidities such as pain and depression but studies typically do not distinguish between planned and spontaneous naps. Additionally, little attention has been paid to nap duration. This study describes napping in older adults by sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, with particular attention paid to naps that are unplanned or >60 minutes. Retrospective cohort of Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 enrolled in the fourth year of National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) who reported napping (n=1,016). Survey weighting was used for all analyses and to determine population estimates. Logistic regressions were used to examine the relationships between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and napping behaviors. Older adults who reported regularly napping, 58.7% reported that some or all naps were unplanned and that 18.5% regularly take naps > hour. Older age, non-white race, non-married status, poorer self-reported health, and shorter nighttime sleep duration were significantly associated with unplanned napping. For example, individuals 75–84 years of age had 2.1 times higher odds of unplanned naps compared to those aged 65–74. Male sex, poorer self-reported health, and a greater number of chronic conditions were associated with higher odds of naps > hour. Those with the worst self-reported health were 2.76 times more likely to take long naps than those reporting the best health. Neither pain nor depression were significantly associated with either unplanned or long naps. This study indicates that ~4.3 million older adults in the U.S. regularly fall asleep during the day without meaning to, and that 1.37 million older adults routinely take naps lasting longer than an hour. Furthermore, this research indicates different constellations of risk factors for unplanned napping and long duration napping. Additional research examining the impact of unplanned and long-duration napping is warranted. NCMRR K01HD076183 (DJF) and AHRQ K01HS022907 (NEL)