The homeless sleep less and are more likely to have insomnia and daytime fatigue than people in the general population, findings researchers believe suggest more attention needs to be paid to improving sleep for this vulnerable population. This is according to a research letter published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Sleep is part of good health, but the homeless often have no access to safe and warm beds at night. Damien Léger, MD, PhD, of the Université Paris Descartes and Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, France, and coauthors analyzed responses from 3,453 people who met the definition of homeless in French cities; most of the participants were men and had an average age of almost 40. They were living on the street, in short-term shelters, small social services paid hotels, and other facilities for homeless people with children.
A questionnaire was used to ask about total sleep time at night and over the past 24 hours. Responses from the homeless were compared to individuals in the general population who participated in a large survey of the French adult population.
The homeless reported shorter total sleep (6 hours 31 minutes vs 7 hours 9 minutes). Among the homeless, 8% reported less than four hours of total sleep over the past 24 hours compared with 3% of the general population, according to the results.
Homeless women also were twice as likely as men to report that they slept less than four hours and insomnia was reported by 41% of the homeless compared with 19% of the comparison group. Also, 33% of the homeless reported daytime fatigue compared with 15% of the general population. Among the homeless, 25% also reported regularly taking a drug to help them sleep compared with 15% of the control group, the results suggest.
“We believe that improving sleep deserves more attention in this vulnerable group. We strongly support strategies other than hypnotic agents to improve sleep in the homeless, including more careful control of noise, lighting, heating, and air conditioning at night. Facilities could provide residents with sleep aids, such as earplugs, eye sleep masks, and pillows. Screens between beds could offer some sense of privacy, even in collective dormitories, and addressing issues of personal security should promote better sleep,” the article concludes.
its hell you get narcolepsy from city noise its impossible to get all 9 rem cycles you need to maintain function sleeping on the st. women r exposed to stalkers who stalk never sleep just stalk steal degrade threaten terrorize homeless woman bc theyre vulnerable
none of my family helps. they have room in homes not one writes or shows up or does anything to help they dont acknowledge my bday im treated as though im dead
my things r stolen once every couple months the illegals take it they will shit on homeless before helping them which is never. the town is run by gang drug dealing thugs paying off cops
the advocates lie about getting a motel voucher they just want your name to write articles to ask for millions that homeless never see they get expired old moldy food in parks and old heigene the city hates homeless they exploit them to get money from public and donations walk right over them harass them once in awhile one helps with hot food or a few dollars but its scarce here CA state they even stole my donated camera i had 1700 images the bus driver mtd refused to check seats let the dacas on so someone stole it santa barbara mtd a corrupt bus co.