There was a significant association between sleep quality and subjective memory complaints in older patients, with sleep quality, age, sex, and educational level explaining several characteristics of subjective memory complaints.
A statistically significant positive correlation was found between global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score and subjective memory complaints in elderly patients.
Individual components of the PSQI were also correlated with subjective memory complaints.
Participant characteristics including age, gender, and educational level interacted with sleep quality to explain characteristics of subjective memory complaints.
The study used a cross-sectional analytical design with elderly Saudi patients attending an ambulatory clinic.
This research suggests that among elderly patients in Saudi Arabia, there is a meaningful link between how well people sleep and how much they feel their memory is declining. The study recruited adults aged 65 and older who were visiting an outpatient clinic in Riyadh, and researchers used two standardized questionnaires — one measuring self-reported memory concerns and one measuring sleep quality — to assess the relationship. The statistical analysis found a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.484), meaning that patients who reported worse sleep quality also tended to report more memory complaints. The study also found that factors like age, gender, and level of education played a role in this relationship, suggesting that the connection between sleep and memory concerns is not the same for all elderly individuals. These findings are consistent with broader research showing that sleep problems are common in older adults and may contribute to cognitive concerns. This research suggests that clinicians working with elderly patients should consider evaluating both sleep quality and subjective memory complaints together, as addressing sleep problems might be relevant to managing memory-related concerns in this age group. Because this was a cross-sectional study conducted at a single clinic, it cannot establish that poor sleep causes memory complaints, and the findings may not generalize to all elderly populations.
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Upload Your LabsAlodhayani A, Almofarej N, Alotaibi N, Alobaid N, Alotaibi D, Siddiqi N. (2026). A study on association between subjective memory complaints and sleep quality among elderly patients in Saudi Arabia: Role of age, gender, and education.. Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000049072