Use These Tips to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

More than a third of Americans get an insufficient amount of sleep, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The problem is even worse for cancer patients during treatment.

“Cancer patients often have higher levels of anxiety. They lie awake at night tossing and turning, thinking about everything they face, and they can have several different sleep issues,” says Sharla Wells-Di Gregorio, PhD, a clinical psychologist and member of the Palliative Medicine team at The James, as well as a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University.

“Their problems can be falling asleep, staying asleep or restless sleep, especially for patients in the midst of their chemotherapy treatment,” she says.

Wells-Di Gregorio counsels James patients with anxiety, depression and sleep issues. She has developed several suggestions and tips that have helped her patients sleep better.

Keep a regular sleep schedule

Many people spend lots of time awake in bed. Behavioral therapy helps determine the amount of time people actually need to sleep based on their own body clocks. “The term we use is “sleep restriction,” which means reducing the time you’re in your bed to only the time you want to spend sleeping and gradually expanding this amount of time sleeping,” Wells-Di Gregoria explains. “This is the most effective practice I’ve seen with patients, and it works by increasing sleep drive and consolidating sleep.”

Naps?

Fatigue is an issue with many cancer patients. It can be caused by sleep issues and can also be a side effect of chemotherapy. Because of this, “naps often don’t help resolve the fatigue that cancer patients feel and can make it harder for them to sleep at night,” Wells-Di Gregorio says. “Exercise and activity earlier in the day often help more than naps.

Bedtime routine

A bedtime routine adds to the effectiveness of the “sleep restriction” technique — try to get into bed and go to sleep at the same time every night. Turn off the television and computer at least an hour before your designated bedtime and turn off your phone so you’re not interrupted or distracted by the beeps and buzzes of texts and emails.

Reading in bed?

This helps some people fall asleep, but be careful, Wells-Di Gregorio warns. “You don’t want to read an exciting page-turner that will get you excited. You probably want to read something boring.” Also, read from an actual book, not a phone or tablet, as the blue light emitted will deter sleep.

Anxiety

There are a lot of reasons for cancer patients — and their primary caregivers —to be more anxious. A cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event that causes stressful uncertainty. “Your head hits the pillow, and your mind starts racing with a million thoughts,” Wells-Di Gregorio says.

She and her colleagues on The James psychosocial oncology team have developed several techniques for reducing anxiety.

Constructive worry

“We talk to patients about setting aside a certain time during the day — perhaps the same time every day — to worry and think about things, and to try and turn that worry into problem-solving,” Wells-Di Gregorio says.

Relaxation techniques

Wells-Di Gregorio and her colleagues have developed breathing techniques and a progressive, muscle relaxation technique that has proven to be effective for cancer patients with sleep issues.

Every James patient can ask their doctors and nurses about meeting with members of the psychosocial oncology team, in-person or via Telehealth.

Stimulus control

According to Wells-Di Gregorio, if someone is in bed for longer than 15 or 20 minutes tossing and turning, then “we recommend you get up and go into another room — perhaps sit in a comfortable chair. Don’t turn on the television or the computer — try and do something relaxing, perhaps listen to calming music.”

Exercise

Exercising close to a designated bedtime can cause sleep issues. However, exercising earlier in the day can help cancer patients sleep better at night. Workouts for cancer patients may not be 4-mile walks or runs or hour-long weight-lifting sessions at the gym but can be tailored to what they’re able to do during treatment with the help and advice of a physical therapist.

Light therapy

Light therapy boxes are now commonly used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which many people deal with in the winter. These boxes emit light that mimics that from the sun. “Using one in the morning for 20 minutes can help jump start your circadian rhythm and help you sleep better at night,” Wells-Di Gregorio says.

Get comfortable

“Make sure your mattress is comfortable,” Wells-Di Gregorio says, because an uncomfortable mattress only increases sleep issues. The same is true with pillows. Make sure they’re comfortable and appropriate for the way you sleep. If patients are suffering from hip or joint pain as a side effect of their cancer treatment, pillows between the legs can reduce pain and help them sleep better.

“Room temperature is also important,” Wells-Di Gregorio says. “Some women being treated for breast cancer can have hot flashes, so cooler temperatures will help them sleep better.”