Getting more sleep

Insomnia is a common side effect of cancer, so this blog is all about sleep; why we need it and how we can get more of it!

There are lots of different reasons why you might be struggling to sleep. You may be worrying about what the future holds for you or your loved ones, that can affect your sleep or it may be discomfort or hot flushes that are keeping you awake at night.

Living with cancer is made even harder if you are struggling with a lack of sleep. It’s really important to be kind to yourself, allow yourself to rest during the day and just do as much as you feel you can.

Why We Need To Sleep

Let’s start with why we need to sleep.

Lack of sleep affects our mood, our immune system and our health.

Sleep lets our bodies repair and rejuvenate. Many of the major restorative functions in the body like muscle growth, tissue repair, protein synthesis, and growth hormone release occur mostly, or in some cases only, during sleep.

Think about how sleep deprivation affects our ability to learn and concentrate. Our mood and feelings of wellbeing are directly related to the quality of our sleep.

A recent study showed that going to bed earlier improved health, particularly the immune system, and reduced inflammation. The study also showed that you couldn’t ‘catch up’ on your sleep, and that the key factor was the time before midnight rather than the duration.

Complementary Therapies That Help With Sleep

We have a number of complementary therapies that can help with sleep. All our clients have a personal treatment plan, if sleep is an issue then these are some of the complementary therapies that we may recommend:

RELAXATION – Learning relaxation and mindfulness techniques helps us, and our bodies to relax. It really doesn’t need to be long – just 2 – 5 minutes can make a difference to how you feel, and have a beneficial effect on the body.

AROMATHERAPY – the controlled use of essential oils to maintain and/or improve the health of mind, body and spirit. Massage is the most effective way of receiving essentials oils. Aromatherapy combines the relaxing aspects of massage with the aromatic scent of the oils which, when absorbed through the skin, relax muscles, enhance circulation, reduce pain perception, help eliminate toxins and give that ‘feel good’ factor.

HYPNOSIS – Hypnosis is a highly relaxed and peaceful state (almost a daydream state) where positive suggestions can be placed directly into the sub-conscious mind for your benefit. In this state you are in complete control and can choose to stay in this state or bring yourself to being fully aware at any time.

CREATIVE VISUALISATION – Visualisation techniques can help change negative thoughts and feelings into more positive ones.

INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE – relieves stress and tension within the body by helping you to relax and giving a feeling of wellbeing, helping to slow down an overloaded mind, which will help you to sleep better.

REFLEXOLOGY – is a lovely, relaxing treatment, it calms the nervous system and reduces stress and pain – which will help you to sleep better. Reflexology can also help with chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy and lymphatic drainage, particularly for breast cancer patients. That’s a lot to choose from, but we can help you to find the right one for you. We also have some groups that will help with sleep, every week we have a walking group, a yoga group and an art group. Any of these would be great for your wellbeing. They are an opportunity to do an activity that you enjoy with a group of people that are in a similar situation. You don’t have to talk about your personal circumstances if you don’t want to.

Food And Drink To Help You Sleep

Whatever the reason, or reasons, you are struggling to sleep, the right food and drink at the right time can help you on your way to better sleep.

PUMPKIN SEEDS – they are very high in magnesium. Magnesium deficiency directly affects sleep, but there’s also a correlation with anxiety and depression, both of which can affect our sleep.

KIWI FRUIT – did you know kiwis contain serotonin and folate? A study in 2011 found that eating 2 kiwi fruit a night helped people to fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer. MUSHROOMS – rich in melatonin, tryptophan, and folate, all nutrients that can improve sleep.

WHOLE GRAIN RICE – complex carbs like this, along with peas, beans, oats, and veggies, can boost serotonin levels, leaving you feeling more content and ready for a peaceful night’s rest.

PISTACHIOS AND ALMONDS – with melatonin and magnesium, these nuts can be your perfect bedtime snack!

CHAMOMILE TEA – it’s not just a traditional remedy anymore; scientific studies are backing up its sleep-improving effects! Sip some before bedtime.

VALERIAN TEA OR LEMON BALM TEA – these herbal teas are believed to work wonders for sleep quality. Give them a try! Remember, it’s not just what you eat but also when you eat that matters, if you are eating a big meal then try to do it earlier rather than late in the evening.

Simple Changes

Struggling to sleep is a big deal, but small, straightforward changes can help. There’s no quick fix, but you deserve that sleep and some of these suggestions might help.

REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY – that might not sound simple and we know it can seem impossible at times. But there are simple things that do help, listening to a meditation app, sitting and focussing on your breathing for a few minutes, taking up a hobby, a short walk in the fresh air, yoga, anything that lowers your stress levels a little.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY – this can mean whatever you like! Physical activity can be as a simple as a short walk with a friend or to the shops, some gentle stretches at home, a bit of light weeding, or something more challenging if you feel up to it. Physical activity causes your body to release endorphins, the feel good chemicals, this will make you feel happier, more relaxed, and more likely to sleep well.

RELAXING BEDTIME ROUTINE- a bath and a book will be much more conducive to sleep than watching a screen. Writing in a diary can help to calm an anxious mind.

MAKE YOUR BEDROOM A RELAXING PLACE – eliminate noise and light as much as you can. Keeping your bed just for sleeping will help your mind to associate going to bed with going to sleep. If you’re still awake 15 or 20 minutes after going to bed, get up and do something relaxing until you are sleepy.

You deserve a good night’s rest, so it’s worth trying whatever you think might work for you. There will be times when it’s hard to sleep, that’s really normal, be kind to yourself and remember that we are here to support you