Inpatient Sleep Medicine.

Abstract

Objective: This article reviews the growing field of inpatient sleep medicine, addressing the importance of inpatient sleep quality and the evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders during and shortly after hospitalization.

Latest developments: Sleep disruption and sleep disorders in the inpatient setting are associated with worse outcomes. Improving sleep quality and duration in the hospital and treating sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea may improve in-hospital and short-term outcomes, such as mortality, stroke recurrence, and recovery. The 2025 American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidelines conditionally recommend the availability of inpatient sleep medicine services. Screening questionnaires can be used to prioritize objective testing for obstructive sleep apnea or empiric treatment in inpatients, but atypical symptoms in patients with stroke and congestive heart failure make them less sensitive. Objective screening tools such as high-resolution pulse oximetry may help prioritize resources but do not qualify patients for therapy such as CPAP; portable or in-laboratory sleep testing may be needed.

Essential points: Inpatient sleep medicine may be delivered by a multidisciplinary team based on available resources. Even if diagnosis or treatment cannot occur in the inpatient setting, recognizing sleep disorders during inpatient admissions increases the chances for successful outpatient treatment and can facilitate timely outpatient workup.