Examining Relationships between Multiple Self-Reported Sleep Measures and Gait Domains in Cognitively Healthy Older Adults

Background: Gait-related changes in older adulthood may be related to changes in cognition (e.g., executive functioning), and recent work suggests that different self-reported measures of sleep may be tied to contrasting aspects of executive functioning. However, the relationship between these self-reported sleep measures and gait domains has not been explored. Such an investigation would be useful in helping to determine which older adults might exhibit changes in gait as well as experience other gait-associated changes (e.g., increased fall risk). Objective: To examine associations between different aspects of self-reported sleep and gait domains in a sample of cognitively healthy older adults. Method: A total of 423 older adults (mean age 69.9 years, range 50–92) completed self-report measures of sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and sleep-related distress. The participants also completed an objective, electronic measure of both single-task and dual-task gait (i.e., GAITRite). Principal component analyses were used to elucidate the solution for each gait condition, and multiple linear regression was used to examine the contributions of sleep measures to variability in gait performance. Results: A 5-component solution of the single-task condition and a 4-component solution of the dual-task condition were identified. Multiple linear regressions revealed that a poorer sleep quality was associated with greater single-task and dual-task asymmetry. Greater daytime sleepiness was associated with increased dual-task gait variability and postural control. After controlling for the effects of other facets of sleep, sleep-related distress was not associated with any gait domain. Conclusions: Among cognitively healthy older adults, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness, but not sleep-related distress, are associated with aspects of gait. Patients who report these symptoms should be assessed and monitored for possible changes in gait.