The patient having difficulty sleeping lives right off the freeway in an apartment complex where many young people live.
To try to alleviate the problem, the nurse counsels her to try:.

There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed complex. Obstructive apnea is the most common type. It is caused by the relaxation of the soft tissues, which allows partial to total obstruction of the airway. (True or False) = The correct answer is True.

Choice A rationale:

True. Obstructive sleep apnea is indeed the most common type. It occurs when the soft tissues in the throat and the muscles of the upper airway relax too much during sleep, leading to a partial or complete blockage of the airway. This obstruction results in the characteristic pauses in breathing that are a hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea.

Choice B rationale:

False. Obstructive sleep apnea is not caused by the need for hypnotics or sleep-inducing medications. It is a physiological condition related to airway obstruction during sleep and not a result of poor sleep hygiene or a lack of medication.

Choice C rationale:

False. While it's true that older adults may have changes in their sleep patterns, this doesn't mean they require 10 hours of sleep a day to prevent fatigue. Sleep needs can vary among individuals, and older adults often experience more fragmented sleep and may nap during the day, but the requirement for 10 hours of sleep a day is not a general rule.

Choice D rationale:

False. Older adults may nap more during the day due to changes in their sleep patterns, but it doesn't necessarily mean they need to nap less to sleep better at night. The sleep-wake cycle of older adults may be different from younger individuals, and it's not always necessary for them to reduce daytime napping to improve nighttime sleep.

Choice A rationale:

Some older adults may indeed have concerns about taking pain medication, but this is not a primary reason for their hesitance to express pain. The fear of taking medication is not a universal characteristic of older adults.

Choice B rationale:

While older adults may be reluctant to bother nursing staff, this is not the primary reason for their reluctance to express pain. It is a consideration but not the main factor.

Choice C rationale:

The unawareness of discomfort is not a common reason for older adults to avoid expressing pain. Most older adults are aware of their discomfort but may not express it for other reasons.

Choice D rationale:

Older adults may have been culturally trained not to complain about pain or discomfort. In some cultures, stoicism and not burdening others with one's pain are highly valued. This cultural training can lead older adults to underreport their pain.

Choice E rationale:

Believing pain is a natural consequence of aging is a misconception, but it is not the primary reason why older adults may not express their pain. They may believe this, but cultural and societal factors have a more significant impact.