Sleep Disorders and Medicine

Biography

Biography: Tabindeh J Khalid

Abstract

Background: Studies report that the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness in the Saudi population is higher compared to that reported from other populations. It is related in part to a culture of sleep habits that leads to either insuffi cient sleep quantity or quality. However, whether this lifestyle impacts the sleep of non-native workers is unknown. Aim: We conducted this study to evaluate the perception of nonnative nurses regarding the infl uence of Saudi lifestyle on their sleep. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire that included demographics, work schedule, sleep-wake questions, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was formulated and approved for the study by the Institutional Review Board. It was distributed among a convenience sample of 150 nurses working in inpatient and outpatient clinical units of a tertiary care hospital of a major metropolitan city in Saudi Arabia. Study respondents were divided into two groups based on their response; “Infl uenced” and “Not-Infl uenced” by local lifestyle. Student t-test and Chi-square test were used as appropriate for data analyses. Results: 116 (77%) nurses returned the completed survey. 80 were from the inpatient units and 36 from the outpatient units. 44 (38%) of the nurses felt that their sleep was aff ected by the local lifestyle and were placed in the “Infl uenced” group and remaining 72 (62%) were placed in the “Not-Infl uenced” group. Th ere were no diff erences between the groups in terms of age, gender, height, weight, hours slept during work days, sleep hygiene, working hours, work units, PSQI (3.9 vs. 4.4) and ESS (8.2 vs. 8.9). However, the nurses in “Infl uenced” group when compared to “Not-Infl uenced” nurses group, slept more during off -days (8.6 hours vs. 7.7 hours; p=0.02) had decrease in subjective sleep duration as compared to their sleep before coming to Saudi Arabia (p=0.02), wanted to sleep more (91% vs. 75%; p=0.03) had poor sleep environment and considered family or roommate as a factor in adversely aff ecting their sleep (p<0.03). Conclusion: In our study, about one third of the nonnative nurses felt that their sleep was adversely aff ected by the local lifestyle. Th ese nurses slept less than their prior routine before coming to Saudi Arabia but interestingly were not sleepy while awake based on their ESS. Further studies should address the impact of this perception on nurses’ mood, fatigue and work performance.