The hospital soundscape is known for high noise levels and a perception of chaos, leading to concerns about its impact on patients, families, professionals, and other hospital staff. This study investigates the relationship between sound, Annoyance, and sleep quality in a multi-patient neurology ward. A mixed-methods approach was employed. Interviews were conducted with medical staff (n = 7) to understand their experiences with sound. Questionnaires and sleep tracking devices (n = 20) assessed patient sleep quality and Annoyance caused by sound events. In addition, listeners (n = 28) annotated 429 nighttime audio recordings to identify sound sources and rate Annoyance level, which we considered the key emotional descriptor for patients. Over 9,200 sound events were analysed. While snoring, a patient-generated sound dominated the nighttime soundscape and was highly rated for Annoyance, and staff-generated sounds such as speech and footsteps were found to contribute more to accumulated Annoyance due to their extended duration. This study suggests that patient sleep quality can be improved by focusing on design interventions that reduce the impact of specific sounds. These might include raising awareness among staff about activities that might produce annoying sounds and implementing strategies to mitigate their disruptive effects.@en

Music as a low-cost sleep aid is a promising way to improve the sleep quality of people. However, most available sleep music playlists are limited to generic, soothing songs, which do not take in account personalisation. In collaboration with the Neurology Department of the Reinier de Graaf hospital (Delft, The Netherlands), we explored a profile-based personalisation approach to deliver music that fits with people' sleep and music preferences. Through generative research, we collected people's preference data and proposed four, evocative sleep music profiles: The Explorer, the Diver, the Hunter, and the Observer. The results of the profiling evaluation suggest that the profile experience is credible, intuitive, and easy to use. Four profiles can reflect people's preferences, but may not be stable.

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Good sleep is conducive to the recovery process of hospital patients - and yet, in many wards, sleep duration and quality can often be suboptimal, in part due to modifiable hospital-related sounds and noises. At the neurological ward of the Reinier de Graaf hospital in Delft, the Netherlands, we developed and evaluated a prototype information exchange system to raise awareness of specific sounds as disturbing patients' sleep. The system both classifies different relevant sound events and tracks sleep quality (using a Fitbit device). This information is then visualized for patients and staff to present the influence of the soundscape on patients' sleep hygiene in a friendly and comprehensive way. We discuss the design process, including a context study and various evaluations of the technology, interface, and created affordances. Our initial findings indicate that visualizing hospital soundscapes may, indeed, support both patients and staff in their efforts towards better sleep hygiene.

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