Impact of Preoperative Sleep Quality on Postoperative Pain and Recovery in Children Undergoing Elective Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study.

Sleep is vital for recovery and emotional regulation in children. Disrupted sleep before surgery may heighten pain perception and delay recovery. Adult studies have demonstrated that poor preoperative sleep is associated with increased postoperative pain, prolonged post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) stay, and higher analgesic needs. However, similar data in paediatric patients are limited and relatively unexplored.

Younger children are particularly vulnerable to perioperative stress and have immature pain-coping mechanisms. Poor sleep may further compromise their recovery, but it is rarely assessed in preoperative settings. Understanding this link may allow early identification of children at risk for adverse outcomes and enable timely non-pharmacological or pharmacological interventions.This study aims to assess the association between preoperative sleep quality and postoperative pain and recovery outcomes in children aged 4 to 7 undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia.

This study may establish poor sleep as a modifiable risk factor for postoperative pain in children. The findings could support routine preoperative sleep screening and contribute to improving pediatric recovery outcomes.