State of Anxiety and Sleep on the Night before Surgery

Lee, G H; Yoon, B H; Yoon, J S

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was carried out to determine whether the state anxiety may affect sleep on the night before surgery.
METHODS
The researcher examined the clinical charts of patients who were scheduled to receive surgery by general anesthesia the following day and then had semistructural interview with patients. In addition Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory(1972), presleep questionnaire and postsleep questionnaire were administered to the patients. One hundred patients who responded to the questions were divided into three groups based on the state anxiety scores; low(n=35), middle(n=27) and high(n=38). Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients, some possible factors affecting sleep, daytime status and nighttime sleep before surgery were compared among three groups.
RESULTS
1) There was no significant difference in demographic characteristics and some possible factors affecting sleep on the night before surgery among three groups. 2) In terms of clinical characteristics, the expectancy of surgical result was significantly different among three groups. More patients in low anxiety group than in middle and high anxiety groups, predicted surgical results as good, while more patients in middle and high anxiety groups than in low anxiety soup could not predict their surgical results. 3) For daytime status, high anxiety group felt more tired compared to low anxiety group, but there was no significant difference in daytime nap among three groups. 4) For nighttime sleep before surgery, high anxiety group expected poor sleep and in fact, waked more frequently during sleep than low anxiety group. However there was no difference in bed time, sleep latency, rise time, total sleep time, sleep depth and sleep quality among three groups. 5) The need for hypnotics was higher before bedtime and also after rise in high anxiety group compared to low anxiety group.
CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the individuals with high state anxiety before surgery have poor sleep and furthermore suggest that anxiolytics and/or hypnotics may be required to decrease anxiety and improve sleep for those with high state anxiety.