title: Sleep in hospitalized elders: a pilot study.
abstract: Hospitalized elders frequently experience disturbed sleep related to environmental factors. To determine relationships between sleep and environmental noise and light, a descriptive exploratory study was conducted with 48 hospitalized older adults. Participants aged 70 years or older were monitored for sleep via wrist actigraphy, and noise and light levels were measured the first night of hospitalization. Sleep time was brief (mean, 3.75 hours) and fragmented (mean, 13 awakenings per night). The sleep environment was noisy with a median sound level of 49.65 dB(A). There was an average of 3 periods of elevated light levels (mean, 64 lux) lasting an average of 1.75 hours each night. No significant correlation was found among sleep and age, light, and sound. Recommendations include light and sound reduction measures and dedicated "do not disturb" times to allow for a full 90-minute sleep cycle.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Missildine
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bergstrom
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meininger
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Marquis D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Foreman
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006760:Hospitalization; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008029:Lighting / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009551:Night Care / Q000379:methods*; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012737:Sex Factors; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology