A narrative review of interventions for improving sleep and reducing circadian disruption in medical inpatients

Sleep and circadian rhythm disruption are frequently observed in patients across hospital departments. This is alarming since impaired nocturnal sleep and disruption to a normal circadian rhythm can compromise health and disturb processes involved in recovery from illness (eg, immune functions). With this in mind, the present narrative review discusses how patient characteristics (sleep disorders, anxiety and stress, chronotype and disease), hospital routines (pain management, timing of medication, nocturnal vital sign monitoring and physical inactivity), and hospital environment (light, noise) may all contribute to sleep and circadian rhythm disruption in patients.
Source: Sleep Medicine - Category: Sleep Medicine Authors: Tags: Review Article Source Type: research