Paper: The Effect of a Nap Custom by the Active Elderly on Improvement of the Quality of Night Sleep (19th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice)

Wednesday, 9 July 2008

Hitomi Matsuda, PhD, RN , Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, / Department of Gerontological Nursing, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

Motoka Masuda, MMS, RN , Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, / Department of Gerontological Nursing, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

Yumi Hashizume, RN , Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, / Department of Gerontological Nursing, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

Kentaro Sugimoto, RN, BA, in, nursing , Comprehensive Human Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

Tomoko Akanuma, RN, MA , Department of Nursing, University of Chiba, Chiba, Japan

Yasuko Hoshina, MA , Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences Human-Care Science, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

Kyoko Shirai , Tsurumi Junior College, Tsurumi University, Yokohama, Japan

Learning Objective 1: understand the promotion of activities of the elderly in the afternoon had an effect on the improvement of the difficulty to fall asleep

Learning Objective 2: suggest the requirement for planning the rapid spread of a nap custom in the elderly

The period of the lifetime of the Japanese elderly is the longest in the world. It is noteworthy that the ratio of the elderly who are active without taking care is over 70% in Japan. In order to elucidate the reason why the Japanese elderly can live a long healthy life, we investigated the relationship between the quality of night sleep and a nap custom in the Japanese elderly. Subjects: Over 65-year-old 124 elderly people who stay at home in Japan . Methods: To evaluate the quality of sleep of the elderly, we investigated their life rhythm and sleep, and measured the quantities of their activities by using the Actiwatch, Lifecorder, and Activtracer (the Activtracer measures heartbeat changes). Results: 1) Many elderly people made it a custom to take a nap (30-60 minutes) after lunch. Their nap customs and ages were correlated. 2) The elderly who made it a custom to take a nap had little frequency of the doze. 3) We found that activities of the elderly in the afternoon were promoted by taking a nap. 4) Furthermore, we revealed that the promotion of their activity in the afternoon had an effect on the improvement of the difficulty to fall asleep. 5) The elder people with a nap custom significantly slept more soundly and felt more comfortable at the time of getting up than those without a nap custom. Conclusion: Taken together, our study revealed the fact that the promotion of activities of the elderly in the afternoon improves the difficulty to fall asleep and quality of sleep in the night, suggesting the requirement for planning the rapid spread of a nap custom in the elderly.

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