Sleep and Cancer
Most people with cancer will experience symptoms or side-effects related to their cancer or treatment. Many of these can affect sleep. While some side-effects or symptoms may be unavoidable, the suggestions here may help you reduce your symptoms or make them easier to put up with. It is also important to talk to your health professional about your side-effects, for assessment, advice and support.
Anxiety, Stress and Sleep During Cancer
Many people living with cancer experience anxiety and stress, which can make getting a good night’s sleep more difficult.
Sleeping in Hospital
Getting good quality sleep in a hospital can be challenging. However, there are steps you can take to improve your comfort and promote better sleep during a hospital stay.
Sleep and Your Partner or Carer
Living with cancer may affect your sleep and may also have a significant impact on your partner or carer’s sleep.
Napping to Support Your Sleep and Energy
Cancer and its treatments can leave you feeling very tired and fatigued. Napping during the day can help you feel more alert and improve your quality of life.
Treatments & The Effects of Some Medications
Several medications used to treat cancer can affect sleep. This might be in the short or longer term, but there are things that may help.
Uncomfortable Physical Symptoms
Pain and other physical symptoms caused by cancer and its treatments can contribute to sleep difficulties such as difficulty falling asleep or waking frequently during the night.
Bladder & Bowel Changes
Urinary and bowel changes are common during cancer treatment and can significantly interfere with sleep.
We are grateful to the team at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia, for their generous sharing of information about sleep challenges in cancer and what can help, which we have used in the development of these webpages.
You can download the CAN-Sleep booklet (for adults) and the AYA Can-Sleep booklet (for young people).
Cancer & Sleep Video
In this video, Claire Gore, Senior Clinical Psychologist and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi) Accredited Practitioner from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, speaks to Dr Joanna Levene, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and East Midlands Cancer Alliance Psychology Clinical Lead.
Timestamps
0:00 – Introductions
01:00 – Common sleep issues for people with cancer
06:00 – When to seek help for sleep difficulties in cancer
08:25 – What is CBTi?
10:00 – Address cognitive (thinking) elements of sleep difficulties
12:20 – Unhelpful sleep behaviours and recommendations to help
16:20 – How worry impacts sleep
17:40 – Impact of screens on sleep
18:55 – Physical impacts of cancer which disrupt sleep and tips to help
21:45 – Managing the impact of steroids on sleep
22:55 – Daytime napping
24:30 – Role of family and carers in supporting with sleep and managing their own sleep
26:00 – Using planned ‘worry time’ to cope with worries
28:25 – Common myths about cancer and sleep
30:25 – Claire’s top tips for sleep in cancer
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