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The purpose of this investigation is to examine differences in rest-activity patterns and sleep characteristics in older adults with heart failure (HF) and healthy older adults. The sample included older adults with HF (n = 20) and a reference group of healthy older adults (n = 20). Traditional cosinor analysis was used to assess three parameters of rest–activity from wrist actigraphy data: amplitude (range of activity), mesor (mean activity), and acrophase (time of peak activity). Traditional sleep characteristics were also determined from actigraphy data: total sleep time (TST), sleep latency (SL), sleep efficiency (SE), and wake after sleep onset (WASO). The HF group demonstrated significantly lower mesor and amplitude than the reference group (p < .01). The HF group had significantly greater TST (p < .01), but the groups had similar SE, SL, and WASO. Despite similar sleep characteristics to healthy older adults, overall rest–activity patterns were significantly dampened in those with HF.
Liebzeit is a PhD student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, Madison, WI. Phelan is a nurse scientist, GRECC, William S. Middleton Memorial VA Hospital, Madison, WI. Moon is a PhD candidate, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, Madison, WI. Brown is a professor with the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, Madison, WI. Bratzke is an assistant professor with the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, Madison, WI.