Sleep Disturbances among Patients in Intensive Care Unit

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients frequently have quality and quantity sleep alterations. To evaluate sleep quality perception in ICU patients as well as sleep disorders in these patients previous the ICU admission, we study 96 patients, mean age 48-16 years with questionnaires about their perception sleep quality in the ICU, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Indices (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and questions about sleeping habits and disturbances. Sleep quality on the ICU was perceived as significantly poorer than the sleep at home (p < 0, 001). The discomforts caused by the orolraqueal tobe and body position and the emotiorial factors were perceived as the more important factors of poor sleep. Daytime sleepiness was referred by 61%. Sixty-three percent had a PSQI score >5. All patients had at least one sleep disturbance; the sleep related respiratory disorders were the more frequent. In conclusion: alterations on sleep quality perception, daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbances were frequently founded in critical patients.