Answering comments on the letter of J.O. Hörnquist. An expression of concern on the paper 'Sleep and hypnotic use in relation to perceived somatic and mental health among the elderly' by Dr Ragnar Asplund (Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr. 31, 199-205 (2000)), which appeared in Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr. 35, 189-192 (2002).