Poor sleep quality linked to higher mortality for adults on hemodialysis

Basic findings.

• Patients sleeping less than the median duration of 6 to 7 hours had a higher mortality risk on dialysis days.

• Use of sleeping pills contributed to higher mortality rates.

• Poor sleep quality may be linked to higher mortality for adults on hemodialysis, data show.

Some common sleep and sleep-related symptoms like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome are among the unpleasant symptoms reported by ESRD patients according to research at UCLA 's David Geffen School of Medicine. Patients sleeping less than a median of 6-7 hours per night had higher mortality risk. It also showed that patients who frequently took sleeping medicine had higher rates of mortality risk.

What does this mean for you?

If you are experiencing restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea, talk to your nephrologist about the best way to handle these symptoms. Taking pain medicine may not be the only solution available.

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