Sleep Quality and Preoperative Anxiety: Prevalence of Disorders and Impact on Surgical Recovery

Abstract

Background This study aims to examine the impact of preoperative anxiety on the sleep quality of patients awaiting surgery by assessing three key dimensions of sleep: perceived quality, sleep onset latency, and total duration. Method The study was conducted on 1040 patients at El Idrissi Provincial Hospital (Kenitra, Morocco), recruited between February 2020 and March 2023. Inclusion criteria included an age of 18 years or older and the absence of severe psychological disorders. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, and sleep quality was measured using a structured questionnaire. Patients self-reported their sleep quality, sleep onset latency, and habitual sleep duration. Statistical analyses included descriptive tests and correlations to explore the relationship between preoperative anxiety and sleep disorders. Results The results indicate that 21.2% of patients reported poor sleep quality prior to surgery, with 12.1% describing their sleep as “fairly poor” and 9.1% as “very poor.” About 45.4% of patients reported experiencing sleep-onset difficulties at least one or two nights per week. Frequent nocturnal awakenings also affected 42.8% of participants. In the perioperative period, 70% of patients reported excessive daytime sleepiness, while 30% described very severe sleepiness, indicating severe sleep disturbances that may compromise recovery. Conclusion These findings underscore the importance of proactive management of sleep disorders in perioperative care, as preoperative anxiety is significantly associated with disruptions in sleep quality, increasing the risks of excessive daytime sleepiness and postoperative complications. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 24 No. 02 April’25 Page : 487-495