The significance of a good night’s sleep can’t be overstated, including during a hospital stay. Sleep isn’t just a period of rest; it’s a crucial physiological process vital for overall health and wellbeing. During sleep, the brain consolidates memories, regulates emotions and repairs cellular damage. Lack of adequate sleep is associated with a host of physical and mental health issues including, but not limited to, weakened immune function; heightened risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease; mood disorders; and cognitive impairment.
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While the general population is increasingly embracing technologies like wearables to monitor and help enhance their sleep quality, hospitals have not generally prioritised patient sleep. Disruptions are commonplace – including from overnight observations – and measuring sleep effectively, safely and practically remains a challenge.
Technology presents a promising avenue for addressing these gaps. For example, contactless monitoring systems can provide staff with assurance of patient safety during the night so that in-person checks can be avoided.
Creating sleep-friendly environments that give patients the opportunity to get a restful night’s sleep has many potential benefits. In mental health settings, boosting sleep quality can lead to lower levels of irritability, improved attention and better mental health. In addition, it could lead to improvements in treatment engagement, reductions in aggression and suicidal ideation, and faster recovery times.
Advances in contactless monitoring technology can also contribute to increased understanding of patient sleep in hospital, allowing clinicians to highlight sleep-related issues and tailor interventions accordingly. Discussing sleep can promote collaboration between patients and staff as it’s a topic patients typically feel less inhibited addressing than other mental health symptoms.
Embracing these technological innovations supports a recognition of the fundamental role of sleep in wellbeing and recovery – paving the way for enhanced inpatient care in the future. Read more about the potential to improve sleep in hospitals.
Learn more about the work of Oxehealth in this area.
