RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Improving Patient Sleep Prior to Elective Surgery

This study aims to find out if special support to improve sleep before surgery can help patients feel better and recover faster. Many people don't sleep well before big operations, and this research explores if better sleep can make a real difference. We'll compare patients who get extra sleep help with those who receive standard care. Participants will learn how to improve their sleep through meetings with our team and track their sleep using questionnaires, diaries, and a wearable device. The goal is to see if these sleep improvements lead to better sleep before surgery and a smoother recovery afterwards, like spending less time in hospital.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University Health Network, Toronto

Enrolment target

154

Start

03 Jan 2025

Estimated completion

01 Jun 2026

Surgery

What is this study about?

Imagine you're getting ready for an operation. It's totally normal to feel a bit anxious, and this can sometimes make it harder to sleep. This study is all about trying a new way to help people sleep better before surgery. We know that getting good sleep is really important for your overall health, and we think it might also help you recover more easily after an operation.

We call this extra support 'Personalized Sleep Prehabilitation'. 'Prehabilitation' simply means preparing your body for surgery, sometimes involving exercise or diet. In this study, we're adding personalized sleep support to that preparation. We want to see if this extra help with sleep can improve how well you sleep in the weeks leading up to your surgery. We'll also check if this better sleep can lead to a quicker and smoother recovery once your surgery is done.

To find this out, we'll compare two groups of patients. One group will get the usual preparation for surgery, and the other group will get the usual preparation plus our special sleep support. By looking at how both groups do, we hope to understand if focusing on sleep before surgery makes a big difference to patients' well-being and recovery. This could help make future surgeries even safer and recoveries even faster for everyone.

Key takeaways

The study explores if better sleep before surgery improves recovery.
Participants will receive personalized sleep support or standard care.
Sleep will be tracked using diaries, questionnaires, and a wearable device.
It's for adults aged 18+ having planned surgery in 1-3 months who struggle with sleep.
No new medications are involved, just sleep behaviour changes.
You can withdraw from the study at any time without affecting your care.

Who may be eligible?

This study is for adults aged 18 or older who are having an elective (planned) surgery in about 1 to 3 months. We're particularly looking for people who often struggle with their sleep, for example, if they usually get less than 7 hours of sleep, take a long time to fall asleep, wake up a lot during the night, wake up too early, or feel sleepy during the day.

There are a few reasons why someone might not be able to join. For instance, if you already have a diagnosed sleep condition that isn't properly managed by a specialist, or if you work shifts (like night shifts), this study might not be suitable. Also, if you plan to travel across many time zones soon, or if you have difficulty understanding or answering questions, you might not be able to take part.

Your doctor or the research team can help you understand if this study is a good fit for you.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Is your planned surgery 1 to 3 months away?
Do you usually sleep less than 7 hours a night?
Do you often take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep?
Do you frequently wake up during the night or too early?
Do you experience daytime sleepiness?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll be asked to attend four meetings with the research team. These meetings will be where you learn about different ways to improve your sleep. You'll also use some tools to help track your sleep over time. This includes filling out questionnaires about your sleep, keeping a diary to note your sleep patterns, and wearing a special device on your wrist (like a fitness tracker) that records your sleep, how active you are, and your heart rate. By using these different methods, the researchers can get a clear picture of how your sleep changes. The exact duration of your participation will depend on your surgery date, but the main part of the study involves these few meetings and tracking your sleep around the time leading up to your operation.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in this study might offer some potential benefits, such as learning new ways to improve your sleep, which could lead to better sleep quality and potentially a smoother recovery from your surgery. There are no known physical risks associated with the sleep support interventions. The main commitment involves your time for meetings and tracking your sleep. You are always in control and can choose to stop participating in the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your usual medical care.

Locations (1)

University Health Network
Verified postcode
Toronto, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'prehabilitation'?

'Prehabilitation' means getting your body ready for surgery beforehand, like exercising or improving diet, to help with recovery.

Will I have to take any new medicines?

No, this study focuses on sleep behaviours and support, not on prescribing new medications for sleep.

How long will I be involved in the study?

You'll be involved in the study in the weeks leading up to your surgery, attending four meetings and tracking your sleep during this time.

Do I have to live near the hospital to join?

Yes, you generally need to be able to attend in-person meetings. If you're doing your prehabilitation entirely remotely, you might not be eligible.

What kind of surgery is this for?

This study is for people having planned, elective surgery rather than emergency operations.

How to find out more

Daniel Santa Mina, PhD

daniel.santamina@uhn.ca 416-978-1696 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.