Sleep disturbances are often seen in older people who have recently experienced the death of a loved one, such as a partner or spouse. Older family carers are particularly at risk of mood and sleep disturbances, not only after the death of the person they were caring for but also beforehand. Sleep disturbances can be treated with psychotropic medicines, but these are not adequate in older people because of the risk of falls, fractures and road accidents. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia is a non-pharmacological intervention that has been found to be beneficial in bereaved older carers.

This article offers a systematic review of the literature on sleep disturbances in bereaved older people. One of the main findings is that sleep disturbances may begin before the loved one’s death, during the caregiving period. More research is needed on sleep disturbances in bereaved older people – notably in those aged ≥85 years, in partners or spouses from same-sex couples, into long-term symptoms post-bereavement, and into sleep interventions provided before the loved one’s death.