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Sleep disturbances in old age.
VÁLOVÁ, Hana
The topics of the thesis are sleep disturbances concerning old age. Sleep is the basic human need, accompanying our life from pre-natal period to death. It is a natural and essential part of our life; it is of cardinal importance for the comfort of each human being. It is a necessary condition for keeping and maintaining physical and psychical health. The absence of sleep leads to serious disturbances. The sleep and its need are individual; it develops in the course of life, but gradually the number of sleep disturbances increases. In opposition to traditional opinions that an old person needs less sleep, it was found out that the total need of sleep does not change much. The observations proved that some old people sleep more than in their young age. In the theoretical part, sleep, its significance, the need of sleep, particular phases and factors influencing it are defined. Further, the disturbances of sleep, their causes, division and treatment are described. It deals with the sleep of the elderly and the role of a nurse supporting and making good quality sleep during the nursing process. Three objectives were stated. The first was to find out sleep habits of the elderly hospitalized in the Hospital Písek, Inc., the second mapped the disturbances of sleep in the clients-the elderly in the Hospital Písek, Inc. The third found out whether the hospitalized clients-the elderly have good conditions for the inducing of sleep. Three hypotheses were stated. The first: ``Clients have sleep habits``. The second supposed that: ``The most frequents sleep disturbances in clients-the elderly is the early waking up. The third hypothesis: ``Clients-the elderly have good conditions for the inducing of sleep``. Quantitative research was chosen to reach the objectives of the thesis and proving the hypotheses. The data collection was carried out by the method of a questionnaire on clients-the elderly in in-patient wards in the Hospital Písek, Inc. After the elaboration of the research part and following assessment it was found out that the first hypothesis-the presence of sleep habits, and the third hypothesis-good conditions for the inducing of sleep, were proved, but the second hypothesis-early waking up, was disproved. Although the results of the research are relatively optimistic, it is surely important to devote further attention to the problems of sleep disturbances in the elderly because sleep is not that natural and obvious for many of them. The person who does not sleep has not enough power, energy and is not able to manage routine daily activities or resist some illnesses. Problems appear in the individual with sleep disturbances and also in the people who are in contact with this individual.
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