Sleep disturbances in family caregivers: an overview of the state of the science.

Sleep disturbance is a prevalent and complex issue within the family caregiver population that affects the overall health of the caregivers themselves and their care recipients. However, there is limited evidence to support the efficacy of current practice and a lack of consensus regarding the optimal treatment protocol. This article will provide an overview of sleep research in family caregivers. It explores current trends in sleep research and identifies relevant conceptual and methodological issues, suggesting implications for further research and highlighting the need to improve sleep quality in the caregiver population. 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.