Somnolence is not exclusive to elderly patients, but it is a common accompaniment of the aging process.
Two medical problems occur with somnolence, or excessive sleeping. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common. This means a stopping of breathing that lasts more than 10 seconds by obstruction of the passages in the upper airway. This occurs in people who are overweight and who have high blood pressure. In younger patients, it is more common in men than in women, but with advancing years, more women are sufferers. Loud snoring alone is not a disease problem, however disturbing it may be to a sleeping partner.
