Publication:

Sleep disturbances and their association with intrinsic capacity in older adults: insights from the longitudinal aging study in India

Background Intrinsic capacity (IC), encompassing cognition, locomotion, sensory function, vitality, and mood, is a key indicator of healthy aging. Sleep problems are common among older adults and may contribute to functional decline, but evidence from low- and middle-income countries is limited.

Methods We analysed cross-sectional data from 27,395 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years from the longitudinal aging study in India (LASI). IC was assessed across five domains, and an IC score was generated on a scale of 0 to 10. Sleep problems were evaluated using self-reported difficulty falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, early morning awakenings, feeling unrested during the day, and daytime napping.

Results The median age of participants was 67 years (IQR 63-72), and 51.7% were female. Regarding sleep, 19.8% reported trouble falling asleep, 23.2% experienced nighttime awakenings, 21.6% reported early morning awakenings, 20.5% felt unrested during the day, and 28.6% reported daytime napping. Older adults with difficulty initiating sleep, waking at night, waking too early, or feeling unrested during the day had significantly lower median IC scores compared with those without these problems (all p<0.001). Daytime napping was positively associated with IC (β=0.123, p<0.001).

Conclusions Sleep disturbances are associated with reduced intrinsic capacity among older Indian adults, highlighting the importance of sleep assessment in geriatric care. Daytime napping may have a supportive role in maintaining functional capacity. Interventions targeting sleep could be a modifiable pathway to promoting healthy aging in this population.