• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the difference in the effects of eye-mask and light-off on sleep status according to a commercial fitness tracker and a sleep diary of psychiatric in-patients in correctional facilities where nocturnal light is compulsory. Methods: This study was conducted over 3 consecutive nights. In-patients of the National Forensic Psychiatric Hospital (n = 29) were assigned random subject numbers and slept as usual in the light-on condition on the first night. The subjects slept with eye-masks in the light-on condition on another night and without an eye-mask in the light-off condition on the other night. Subjects were asked to sleep wearing a commercial fitness tracker and to keep a sleep diary. The order of these changes in bedroom lighting condition on the second and third nights was assigned randomly to participants. Results: In comparison of the sleep variables between the light-on condition and the eye-mask condition, the Wakefullness After Sleep Onset (WASO) was shorter and sleep satisfaction was higher in the latter.(respectively, Z = 3.66, p < 0.017 ; Z = 2.69, p < 0.017) In comparison of the sleep variables between the light-on and light-off conditions, the WASO was shorter and sleep efficiency and sleep satisfaction were higher in the latter (respectively, Z = 2.40, p < 0.017 ; Z = 3.02, p < 0.017 ; Z = 3.88, p < 0.017). However, there were no differences in the sleep variables between the eye-mask condition and the light-off condition. Conclusion: Subjective improvements in sleep variables were noted in sleep diaries of institutionalized psychiatric patients under either the 'eye-mask' or 'light-off' condition. However, there were no significant differences between the 'eye-mask' and 'light-off' conditions. Therefore, we suggest that psychiatric patients in correctional facilities use eye-masks when sleeping.