A study coordinated by IRBLleida identifies opportunities to improve rest for hospitalised patients.

The research team from the Healthcare Research Group (GRECS) at the Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (IRBLleida) and the University of Lleida (UdL), together with the Healthcare Research Unit at the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) and the Murcia Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIB), have taken part in a multicentre study which shows that the quality of sleep among hospitalised patients deteriorates during their stay in hospital.

A recent article, led and directed by IRBLleida researchers Filip Bellon, Montserrat Gea-Sánchez and Esther Rubinat Arnaldo, warns that almost nine out of every ten hospitalised patients experience poor sleep quality during their stay in hospital.

The study, published in the scientific journal “Worldviews in Evidence-Based Nursing”, was carried out in twelve public hospitals in Spain and analysed data from 383 people admitted to medical and surgical wards between 2020 and 2022. The research team assessed patients' sleep quality on admission and at discharge using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), an internationally validated questionnaire.

The results show that 71 per cent of participants were already experiencing poor sleep quality prior to hospital admission. During their stay, this proportion rose to 85.9 per cent, highlighting the impact that the hospital environment and care activities can have on patients' rest.

The research team also identified several factors associated with this deterioration. People who received more nursing interventions during the night and those undergoing a greater variety of night-time procedures reported poorer sleep quality. Blood tests carried out in the early hours of the morning were also linked to poorer sleep quality among hospitalised women.

'Getting adequate rest is essential for promoting patients' recovery. However, common situations during hospitalisation, such as night-time disturbances, can hinder restorative sleep,' explained the article's lead author and researcher at IRBLleida, Filipo Bellon.

The study also highlights other factors that may influence the quality of rest, such as disturbances caused by roommates, discomfort caused by the bed or bedding, and the perception of interruptions resulting from night-time care activities.

The study's findings pave the way for the implementation of simple measures that could significantly improve the quality of rest for hospitalised patients. "Our findings show that there are factors we can act upon - such as the organisation of certain night-time activities or adapting the hospital environment - to help patients get a better night's sleep," notes the article's lead author and researcher at IRBLleida, Montserrat Gea-Sánchez.

The research highlights the importance of incorporating sleep quality as a key indicator of the quality of care and the need to promote measures that minimise night-time disturbances wherever possible. Among the proposals put forward by the researchers are the reorganisation of certain night-time activities, the reduction of environmental disturbances and the implementation of care practices that are more respectful of patients' rest.

The study forms part of the CHRONOHOSPI research project, which investigates how hospitalisation affects patients' biological rhythms and rest, and of the Sueñon (©) project, an initiative that encourages institutions and professionals to commit to ensuring patients get adequate rest. The project is funded by the Carlos III Health Institute and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through projects PI18/00732, PI18/00743 and PI18CIII/0012.

Article: Bellon F, Targa A, Perez-Loza I, Abad-Corpa E, Rubinat-Arnaldo E, Orts-Cortés MI, Gea-Sánchez M. The Influence of Hospitalization and Nursing Interventions on Inpatients' Sleep Quality: A Multicenter Observational Study. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2026 Aug;23(4):e70162. doi: 10.1111/wvn.70162. PMID: 42669835; PMCID: PMC13526904.

Text: IRBLleida Communications and Press Office