The Effect of White Noise on Sleep Quality, Comfort, and Satisfaction in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Disk Herniation Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Study Summary

60 patients undergoing lumbar disk herniation surgery were randomized to receive white noise in addition to routine postoperative nursing care or routine care alone. The white noise group listened to rain and waterfall sounds through Bluetooth headphones for 30 minutes before sleep on postoperative days 0 and 1. The primary outcome was sleep quality measured using the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ). Secondary outcomes included comfort measured using the Shortened General Comfort Questionnaire (SGCQ) and satisfaction measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). Outcomes were assessed on postoperative days 1 and 2. Overall, the results of the study revealed that sleep quality improved significantly from postoperative day 1 to day 2 in both groups, without significant between-group differences. White noise was associated with greater improvements in comfort, while between-group satisfaction scores remained similar. These findings suggested that white noise may provide a simple nonpharmacological strategy for improving comfort during early recovery after lumbar disk herniation surgery.