The Importance of Sleep

One of the most common side effects of cancer and its treatment is simply getting the right amount of sleep. At certain times during treatment and recovery you will need more sleep than usual. However, at many other times, getting sufficient sleep can be a challenge. Anxiety, depression, discomfort and pain can all affect your ability to sleep.

Ongoing Sleep Problems

And it's not just during cancer treatment that getting enough sleep can be an issue. A new survey by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has found that sleep deprivation is widespread in America. Almost two-thirds of American adults do not get the eight hours of sleep recommended for good health. In fact, nearly one-third report sleeping less than seven hours each weeknight, though many adults say they try to sleep more on weekends.

The NSF's "2001 Sleep in America" poll also found that almost a third of Americans get less sleep today than they did five years ago, and 7 out of 10 say they experience frequent sleep problems, though most have not been diagnosed.

Not surprisingly, the poll showed that health problems play a significant role in the quantity and quality of sleep. Those who reported the following medical conditions were most likely to experience a sleep problem: depression (83%), nighttime heartburn (82%), diabetes (81%), cancer (79%), hypertension (79%), heart disease (78%), and/or arthritis (76%).

Addressing Sleep Problems

The American Cancer Society recommends the following steps to help alleviate sleep problems:

• Sleep as much as your body tells you to, but while awake, try to exercise as least once a day.
• Do not drink stimulants, such as coffee, tea or cola, late in the day. Drink warm, noncaffeinated drinks such as warm milk with honey before sleep.
• Ensure a quiet environment for rest during the same period of time each day.
• Take sleeping medication if prescribed by your doctor at a regular time each night. Do not take any sleeping medication other than what your doctor prescribed.
• Do not ignore pain if you have it. Take any pain medications prescribed by your doctor, especially before sleep.

SOURCES:
"2001 Sleep in America Poll," The National Sleep Foundation (http://www.sleepfoundation.org)
The American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org)

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