Sleeping Beauty

I love it when I hear a nurse wake up a patient to give him/her their sleeping pill :)  Ironic isn't it?  Why do so many people have difficulty sleeping not only in the hospital, but especially in nursing homes, relative homes, and rehab centers.  How many of us like to sleep with a little bit of light?  How many have to have it completely dark?  Who likes to sleep under heavy blankets and who can't handle anything more than a sheet?  How many can't stand any "pilling" on their sheets?  How many need a certain material in their sheets?  Who among us must sleep with a TV, radio, or a fan?  So many variations not only with textures and sounds, but also with smells and the right kind of mattress.  And then we wonder why patients in our facilities are so tired and have difficulty sleeping.  Pay attention to these things from their home and try to re-create as many as possible in his/her new room.  This is a skilled therapy service and a necessary one.  Without sleep - risks involve everything from falls to malnutrition and skin breakdown.