If sleep were looked at as a continuous infusion of a medication that helped a patient heal faster, healthcare professionals we would think twice about disrupting it, according to an article on The New York Times website.
A study published last year found that sleep affects wound healing, including wounds from surgery or any type of procedure.
Some hospitals are taking this information seriously. Nurses at Yale-New Haven Hospital try to give patients their medications before they go to sleep to minimize sleep disruptions.
Some physicians have suggested giving patients ear plugs and an eye mask.