People with Kidney Failure Get Help While They Sleep

Treatment for renal failure – kidney failure – can be exhausting. Blood is drawn from the body, cleaned and pumped back into the body.

This grueling process is called dialysis. It can take three to four hours and can cause severe fatigue. Then the treatment has to be repeated three times each week.

But ABC 7 in Denver reports that some dialysis clinics now offer to perform the treatment while patients sleep. This is improving the quality of life for people with kidney failure.

The process is gentler when it is performed at a slower pace during an eight-hour night of sleep. Nocturnal dialysis also allows patients to work normal hours and maintain their daily routines.

The challenge with overnight dialysis is being able to fall asleep around other people and in a new environment. But it appears that the benefits are well worth the effort.