Frailty is defined as an age-related decline in multiple physiological systems. Frail older adults have increased vulnerability to stressor events, poorer quality of life, and increased risk for major adverse health outcomes. A recent study was designed to investigate the role of the circadian function as potential physiological correlates of frailty development. We all know that circadian clocks govern pretty …
Working night shifts has been associated with various negative effects, including fatigue, sleep disturbances, and workplace errors. Why is shift work a problem? Well, apparently shift work causes circadian rhythms to misalign with the demands of the environment. So, what can we do to ensure our caregivers are rested and awake to provide quality care to our residents? According to …
Did you know that when we switch from “Standard Time” (ST) to “Daylight Savings Time” (DST) that there is an increase in traffic accidents, cardiovascular events, and other health hazards? Geez, and we thought we just lost an hour of sleep, right? Well, studies have shown that there are many negatives to losing that one hour of sleep every spring, …
Are you one of those people who “can’t fall asleep” without the television on? Do you find it more comfortable to have a “night light” on? Well, thankfully, I am NOT that person and in fact, it makes me a little cranky if the room isn’t totally dark at night. I’m actually pretty excited about an article I read regarding …
Join the club! Everyone I talk to lately is struggling to get enough sleep and most of us get less than the recommended hours of sleep per night. Sure, there are over-the-counter sleep aids, soothing white noise machines, etc. but at the end of the day, we are still struggling to find that happy place. In a recent article published …
In a study published in SLEEP, EEGs were used to gather clinically relevant information for personalized patient health evaluations and a comprehensive assessment of sleep. In the study, a deep neural network (DNN) model was trained to predict the age of patients using raw EEG signals. The researchers found that DNNs can accurately predict the brain age of healthy patients. …
In a recently published article in Science News, nurses don’t sleep enough, period. Per the article, nurses sleep nearly an hour and a half less before workdays which can impact patient care. It has long been known that shift work can impact sleep cycles and overall quality of life. Nurses tend to work odd shifts, 12-hour shifts, double shifts, etc. …
Researchers have known for a while that blue light has benefits over traditional white lighting for improved circadian rhythms. Studies have also concluded that blue light boosts alertness and cognitive function as well as elevating mood. An Australian lighting company (Versalux Lighting Systems and Monash University) recently unveiled a new lighting system that allows facility operators to customize blue light …
A good night of undisturbed sleep is one of the most important services we can give our residents. By eliminating or minimizing night-time interruptions, we can encourage more of the restorative sleep our residents need to maintain and enhance their quality of life. Two years ago, Great Plains Quality Innovation Network gave some presentation on exactly that topic. Recording of …
