Someone was telling me that she couldn’t wait to leave the hospital to get some rest at home. During her pregnancy she received plenty of advice that she should sleep while she was in the hospital because once she got home with the baby, there would be no rest. She found, however, that sleeping in the hospital was nearly impossible with nurses and doctors coming in to check on her at all hours, machines beeping, and the constant flurry of activity.

You may think that the hospital is a good place to recuperate and get some rest after a procedure, but getting rest in a hospital is difficult. The building runs 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. There is always something going on.

To get the best rest in a hospital for you or your loved one, consider these points:

1. Ask for a private room.
   If you have a roommate, you will be subject to their noise which means their doctors, nurses, visitors, talking, coughing, and so on. Getting a private room ensures that at least you will only be subject to noise related to your care.
2. Ask if you can be assigned to a quiet room or floor.
   This might not be possible as certain illnesses require that you have a room in a specific location. However, sometimes the person assigning you a room can select one that is away from the elevator or the nurses’ station so that it is quieter.
3. Adhere to the visiting hours.
   It might be comforting to have your family and friends visit, but remember you are in the hospital to get rest and recover. You can always have visitors when you go home and are feeling better.
4. Ask what is scheduled for you.
   Remember that hospitals often wake you up in the middle of the night or early in the morning for blood work or tests. Ask your doctor what is scheduled for when so you can sleep in between.
5. If you have a roommate, ask your nurse to monitor how many visitors your roommate is having and their noise level.
   Everyone has the right to get rest in the hospital.

Rest in a hospital may not be easy, but with these tips you may be able to rest a little better.

What problems have you had when you were in the hospital?  I’d love to hear from you!

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