Lin Jong-Ni
College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Da-Yeh University, No.168, University Rd., Dacun, Changhua 51591, Taiwan.
Geriatr Nurs. 2018 Sep-Oct;39(5):543-547. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2018.03.002. Epub 2018 Apr 10.
Taking afternoon naps is common among elderly people, but the information about napping from qualitative viewpoints is limited. This study aimed to describe napping experience from the perspectives of Chinese elderly, specifically on nap taking correlates and its influences on nocturnal sleep. Data were gathered via individual in-depth interviews with 50 Chinese elderly in Taiwan. The majority of the nappers napped for 1-2 hours between 12 PM and 1 PM. Nap promoting factors included "belief in afternoon nap taking benefits," "nothing to do," "low energy level," "compensation -for disturbed sleep" and "extreme weather." Nap taking (>1 hr.) was found to be associated with delay of the onset of sleep, reduction of sleep duration, and light sleep. Short afternoon napping (<1 hour) is recommended for the elderly. Future research should determine the direction of the causative association between afternoon nap-taking and nocturnal sleep.
老年人午睡很常见，但从定性角度来看，有关午睡的信息有限。本研究旨在从中国老年人的角度描述午睡经历，特别是午睡的相关因素及其对夜间睡眠的影响。通过对台湾50名中国老年人进行个人深度访谈收集数据。大多数午睡者在中午12点至下午1点之间午睡1至2小时。促进午睡的因素包括“相信午睡有益”、“无事可做”、“精力不足”、“补偿睡眠干扰”和“极端天气”。发现午睡时间超过1小时与入睡延迟、睡眠时间缩短和浅睡眠有关。建议老年人进行短时间午睡（<1小时）。未来的研究应确定午睡与夜间睡眠之间因果关系的方向。
