The relationship between sleep and physical function in community-dwelling adults: a pilot study.

More than 50% of community-dwelling adults have sleep complaints. Because aging is associated with decline in physical function, coexistent sleep difficulties may exacerbate functional decline. This pilot study explored the relationships between sleep, age, chronic disease burden, and physical function among 50 community-dwelling older adults. Findings revealed significant relationships between total sleep time and preclinical disability (r = -0.33, P ≤ .05) and mobility difficulty (r = -0.36, P ≤ .05). A regression analysis showed that total sleep time was significantly associated with mobility difficulty and preclinical disability, even after controlling for chronic disease burden. These findings suggest that total sleep time may be a catalyst for functional decline.