Sawing The ZZZZZs: Getting Old Needn't Keep You Awake, Geriatricians Say:
"Patients must be educated on normal sleep-related changes but also made aware that sleep problems are not a part of normal aging."
Again we have the problem with the use of the word "normal"! Fragmentation of sleep in old age is "normal" in a sense that it happens to most people and most other mammals. Just because it is unpleasant and potentially bad for one's health does not make it not normal. Yet, just like we treat bad eyeseight with glasses, we can alleviate sleep problems in the elderly with a variety of strategies outlined in this article. Doing something "artifical" about something that is "normal" can make the quality of life be more "normal".
Having problems commenting? (UPDATED)