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Updated: May 16, 2025

Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Sleep and Circadian-Related Outcomes after Critical Illness
1Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Abstract:
Sleep and circadian disruptions are frequently reported in studies of critically ill patients. Less is known about sleep and circadian disruptions after an intensive care unit (ICU) admission. It is recognized now that survivors of critical illness may develop what is termed post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) which is a constellation of symptoms of which two of the most prominent features are fatigue and sleep complaints. Clinicians and researchers are now recognizing the importance of examining symptoms in survivors which impact their quality of life. Although current data are limited this review addresses what is now known about sleep and circadian disruptions post-ICU. Current ongoing research and future studies should continue to inform our understanding of how critical illness and the ICU environment both influence long-term outcomes in critically ill patients.
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