• A M Wood.
• Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 1993 Jun 1;9(2):129-36.

AbstractThe subject of this literature review is the sleep of hospitalised patients, with particular emphasis on the sleep of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Initially there is an overview of the structure of sleep and the literature related to the main theories of sleep function in order to set the subject in context. A review of some of the work related to the sleep patterns of ICU patients outlines how severely sleep-deprived many patients are. Studies of sleep patterns implicate the environment of ICUs as an important factor in preventing sleep, but factors particular to patients which have an adverse effect on sleep are also reviewed, with particular reference to a study addressing the incidence of pain and discomfort of patients. Finally the sleep patterns of patients whose environment was carefully controlled to exclude factors known to disrupt sleep are reviewed. Thus the review moves from broad issues affecting sleep to the more focused issues personal to individual patients, with implications for nursing practice addressed as each point arises. In this way the complexity of the whole issue of sleep and the lack of sleep experienced by hospitalised patients is highlighted.

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