Dive Brief:
- A study by the Cleveland Clinic's Nursing Institute has concluded that patients in a typical hospital room are exposed to so little light during the day that it disrupts their sleep-wake cycle.
- Researchers gathered data on 40 men and women admitted to a large academic hospital between May 2011 and April 2012, with test subjects wearing a wrist device for 72 hours to track sleep-wake patterns and light exposure.
- The lowest levels of daytime light exposure were correlated with poorer mood and more fatigue and pain, as compared with patients whose rooms were better lit during the daytime.
Dive Insight:
It's good to hear that a relatively simple step like boosting patient light exposure during the day can have an impact on their well-being. That being said, this was a small study, and further study is probably needed to get a better picture of how to address this problem. Nonetheless, these results are promising as is, as they suggest a new way to provide supportive therapy for sleep and pain.