Sleep promotion in adults

Insomnia is among the most frequent health complaints brought to the attention of primary care providers. The prevalence estimates are highest in women, older adults, and patients with medical or psychiatric disorders. Clinical researchers have studied many barriers to sleep as well as some sleep promotion interventions for the ill and aging adult. Environmental, personal, and person-environment rhythm factors have been identified as correlates of poor sleep. All interventions studied by nurse researchers are non-pharmacological and have been classified as interventions that (a) create an environment more conductive to sleep, (b) relax the sleeper, or (c) entrain the circadian sleep-wake rhythm. This chapter summarizes results of published research on correlates of poor sleep and interventions to promote sleep. The chapter includes the relevant studies conducted by researchers in related disciplines as well as nurses' research. The arcs software package was used to facilitate summarization of intervention studies. It was concluded that correlates of poor sleep are well described, but theories of sleep promotion are not well explicated. Also, the research base for sleep promotion interventions for use with clinical populations other than those with chronic insomnia is sparse. Gaps in knowledge are identified and conceptual and methodological issues are discussed as the basis for future directions in sleep promotion research.