Effect of Sleep on the Recovery of Patients Admitted to the ICU

This intervention attempts to improve sleep and prevent circadian rhythm dysregulation among patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU). Patients within his arm will be asked to try to keep their TV off and limit their telephone use from 10pm-7am, as well as limit the amount of visitors in their room as much as possible between those hours. Patients will also be offered ear plugs and eye masks if they wish to use at night to aid in helping them sleep, if deemed medically safe to do so. Additionally nurses will be asked to bathe patients either before 10pm or after 7am, to limit their conversations in the patient's room at night, and try as much as possible to limit blood draws and waking patients during those hours as is medically safe. Nurses will also be instructed to lower the blinds in the room at 10 pm and raise them up at 7am to help with patients sleep/wake cycle.