Efficacy of a Sleep Hygiene Toolkit for Patients in Acute Rehabilitation Unit

Sleep Hygiene Study Abstract:

INTRODUCTION Sleep is integral to the health of a person and can have multifaceted contributions to a person including their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial well-being. However, within a recent survey evaluating the sleep perception of patients within an acute rehabilitation unit (ARU), there was a high prevalence of reported sleep disturbances and poor sleep hygiene compared to at home (Davis et al., 2021). In addition, patients within an ARU generally have an extended length of stay-which could mean many nights of poor sleep hygiene. Given the importance of sleep in facilitating a person's health and recovery versus the challenges the hospital environment poses on patient's sleep hygiene, this study aims to examine the efficacy of a sleep hygiene toolkit provided to the patients admitted to ARU. The sleep hygiene toolkit includes multiple non-pharmaceutical resources addressing sensory stimulation and psychological and emotional needs.

OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the perception of sleep quality experienced by ARU patients utilizing the sleep hygiene toolkit. This study hypothesizes that with the use of a sleep hygiene toolkit, patients will report a positive impact on their sleep quality during their hospital stay.

METHODOLOGY This is a within-subjects study design. All eligible participants will be given the sleep hygiene intervention administered for a period of five days. The sleep hygiene toolkit includes multiple resources including assistive devices (ie. eye masks and ear plugs), sensory-based tools (ie. aromatherapy, music, meditation, and breathing techniques), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) activities (ie. addressing anxiety and worry), and education and training on sleep hygiene. The visual analog scales on the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire will be used to assess patient's overall sleep perception pre- and post-intervention.

CONCLUSION Given this prevalent area of need for patients admitted to ARU, occupational therapists (OT) can offer an additional way to address it. According to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (2020), OTs are well-equipped to provide comprehensive treatment to promote a person's sleep preparation and sleep participation. The results will determine the efficacy of a sleep hygiene toolkit for ARU patients in addressing their sleep needs-an important component in a patient's health and recovery during their hospital stay.

SIGNIFICANCE OF TOPIC This study aims to highlight the barriers to successful participation in the occupation of sleep and rest for patients admitted to an acute rehabilitation unit (ARU). The creation of this sleep hygiene toolkit is to address a person's sleep preparation and sleep participation. Although sleep quality and its impact are a topic well studied, there is limited study on occupational therapy led interventions aimed to benefit the patient's sleep quality in an ARU setting.