title: A prospective analysis of sleep deprivation and disturbance in surgical patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sleep deprivation has a potentially deleterious effect on postoperative recovery. The aim of our prospective study was to identify the factors contributing to postoperative sleep deprivation and disturbance in order to recommend improvements in postoperative care.
  
  
  METHODS
  102 consecutive patients attending for elective general and orthopaedic surgery were interviewed preoperatively (baseline) and postoperatively on their duration of sleep, number of wakenings during the night, factors contributing to sleep loss and the use of analgesia and night sedation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients woke up a median of 5 times in the first postoperative night compared to a median of 3 times preoperatively (p = 0.01). Pain was the predominant factor preventing sleep, affecting 39% of patients preoperatively and 48% of patients on the first postoperative day. Other factors included noise from other patients and nursing staff, and using the toilet. Analgesia was taken by more than 90% of patients in the first two days, this number gradually reducing over the postoperative period. On the other hand, in the first two postoperative days, only about 5% of patients had night sedation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apart from highlighting the need for effective pain management postoperatively, we believe that our study supports the drive towards single bed bays, where steps can be taken to minimize the impact of environmental factors on sleep.
authors.affiliation: Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Stirling Road, Larbert, Stirlingshire, Scotland, FK5 4WR, UK.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.affiliation: Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Stirling Road, Larbert, Stirlingshire, Scotland, FK5 4WR, UK.
authors.forename: Jae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.affiliation: Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Stirling Road, Larbert, Stirlingshire, Scotland, FK5 4WR, UK.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.affiliation: Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Stirling Road, Larbert, Stirlingshire, Scotland, FK5 4WR, UK.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sproat
authors.affiliation: Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon Forth Valley Royal Hospital Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camilleri-Brennan
keywords: Postoperative analgesia; Postoperative sedation; Sleep deprivation; Sleep disturbance; Surgery