An Observational Analysis of Sleep and Quality of Life in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

Background: While working with patients on hemodialysis, we often heard them complain about restless nights. Some couldn’t fall asleep, others woke up too early, and many felt drained during the day. These weren’t just occasional issues; they were affecting how people lived, interacted, and felt. And yet, in the middle of lab reports, dialysis schedules, and medication adjustments, these sleep problems were rarely addressed. That gap led me to ask a simple question: how often are ESRD patients struggling with sleep, and what impact is it having on their quality of life. Objectives: This study set out to find just how widespread sleep problems are among ESRD patients on regular hemodialysis. Beyond that, we wanted to understand the kinds of sleep issues they face and how these problems might be affecting the way they experience life day to day. Material and Methods: From August 2023 to March 2024, we carried out a study at Dharashiv District Government Hospital. After receiving ethics committee approval, we recruited 110 adult ESRD patients who had been on dialysis for at least three months. They were selected using convenience sampling, mostly based on who was available during clinic hours. For sleep assessment, we used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). For quality of life, we turned to the KDQOL-36 questionnaire. Both are tools we trusted for being easy to use and widely accepted. Data analysis was done in SPSS version 25. To look for relationships, we used Pearson’s correlation, and for comparing groups, t-tests and ANOVA came in handy. Results: Nearly every patient, about 95% reported poor sleep (PSQI>5). The bad sleep scores were seen in those between 51 and 60 years old. The link between bad sleep and low quality of life was strong and clear (r=-0.65, p<0.01). What stood out even more was that women and patients with diabetes had worse quality of life scores than others, which didn’t surprise me based on what we saw in day-to-day interactions. Conclusion: This study confirms what many of us working with dialysis patients already suspect: poor sleep is everywhere, and it’s hurting lives. It’s not just about being tired-it’s about feeling like you can’t function, enjoy, or cope. We strongly believe we should start screening patients regularly for sleep problems. Even small steps like offering sleep hygiene tips or just listening more closely could help make patients feel better supported.