Cancer and Relationships: Navigating Love & Support

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Sleep and cancer are closely linked, yet many cancer patients struggle with sleep disorders during treatment. After my colorectal cancer diagnosis, I quickly realized that poor sleep made my symptoms worse, affecting my immune function, mental health, and overall recovery. My sleep patterns changed throughout different cancer treatments, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy, causing trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and dealing with sleep disturbances.

Many people with cancer face similar struggles, and research from the National Cancer Institute shows that short sleep duration may increase cancer risk. This article explores how my sleep habits changed over time, my biggest challenges, and the strategies I used to improve my sleep quality during treatment.

The Importance of Sleep During Cancer Treatment

Sleep is critical for cancer patients because it supports immune function, reduces inflammation, and helps the body recover from cancer treatments. Research shows that short sleep duration can increase cancer risk while getting a good night’s sleep improves overall treatment response. Sleep also plays a role in managing stress and regulating circadian rhythms, influencing the body’s healing ability.

Disruptions in sleep patterns can lead to poor sleep, making it harder to recover from chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. People with cancer often experience trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up feeling unrefreshed. Lack of sleep also affects mental health, increasing stress and fatigue and slowing recovery. Managing sleep disturbances became a priority during my treatment.

Sleep Patterns During Chemotherapy

My chemotherapy schedule followed a three-day cycle, where I spent over 48 hours in the hospital receiving treatment. The side effects made it hard to maintain a normal sleep schedule. Nausea, body aches, and weakness kept me awake, while medication side effects caused hot flashes and night sweats. Sleep became unpredictable, and I often felt exhausted but unable to rest properly.

The biggest challenge was sleep deprivation caused by stress and discomfort. Pain, anxiety, and inflammation made it difficult to reach deep sleep, and even when I managed to fall asleep, I would wake up frequently. The constant fatigue made daily life harder, and I had to find ways to improve my sleep quality without relying on medication.

What Helped Improve My Sleep?

Improving my sleep habits required making small but effective changes. Sticking to a routine, managing stress, and adjusting my diet all contributed to improving my sleep quality during cancer treatment.

Establishing a bedtime routine – I set a regular sleep schedule, avoided screens before bed, and used relaxation techniques to help me fall asleep faster.

Using the Apollo Wearable for relaxation – I used the Apollo Wearable in “Calm Mode” before bed and “Sleep Mode” at night. This helped reduce stress and improve my sleep patterns.

Drinking green tea for its calming effects – I drank decaffeinated green tea in the evening, which helped me relax without disrupting my circadian rhythm or causing trouble sleeping.

Adjustments in my daily routine to support better sleep – Light physical activity, like Zone 2 cardio, helped regulate my circadian rhythms and improved my ability to stay asleep. After switching to a low-carb diet, I no longer needed daytime naps, and my sleep duration became more stable.

Sleep Patterns During Radiation Therapy

My radiation therapy schedule was shorter than what most cancer patients go through. I only received five sessions to stop bleeding caused by my colorectal cancer. Even though it was a short course, the side effects were intense. Fatigue, nausea, and inflammation made getting a good night’s sleep difficult. My body felt weaker, and my sleep patterns became inconsistent, making it harder to recover.

Pain from radiation therapy caused sleep disturbances, and I often had trouble falling asleep because of discomfort. Night sweats and hot flashes also became more frequent, likely due to the body's stress response. The National Cancer Institute reports that sleep disorders are common in people with cancer, especially when treatment disrupts circadian rhythms. Finding ways to reduce inflammation and manage stress helped me regain normal sleep patterns.

What Helped Improve My Sleep?

Improving my sleep quality during radiation therapy meant addressing inflammation, stress, and fatigue. These techniques made a difference:

Infrared therapy for reducing inflammation and promoting relaxation – I used infrared light in the evenings to help with inflammation and sleep disturbances. It also supported immune function and reduced discomfort, making it easier to fall asleep.

Incorporating mindfulness and meditation before bed – Practicing meditation before bedtime helped lower stress and improved my ability to stay relaxed. I also used the Apollo Wearable in “Calm Mode” to enhance relaxation.

Dietary adjustments to support better sleep – I avoided high-sugar foods, which could disrupt circadian rhythms and cause sleep problems. Instead, I focused on omega-3-rich fish, vegetables, and fermented foods, which supported immune function and reduced inflammation.

Sleep Patterns Post-Surgery

Recovering from surgery brought new challenges to my sleep schedule. I underwent multiple surgeries, including liver resections and rectal tumor removal. After each procedure, the pain made it difficult to rest, and I struggled with sleep deprivation. The discomfort from surgical wounds, along with the need for IV drips, meant I couldn’t get a good night’s sleep for several days.

Pain and limited mobility were the biggest issues. Staying asleep was difficult because I had to sleep in a specific position to avoid putting pressure on the surgical areas. Research from clinical oncology suggests that post-surgery pain can contribute to poor sleep and increase stress, which affects recovery. The first few weeks required tracking my sleep patterns and making necessary adjustments.

What Helped Improve My Sleep?

Post-surgery recovery required a combination of tracking my sleep, managing pain, and creating a better sleep environment. These strategies helped:

Using the Oura Ring to monitor sleep and adjust my routine – I tracked my sleep duration, heart rate variability (HRV), and resting heart rate to understand how my body was recovering. If I noticed a short sleep duration or elevated heart rate, I adjusted my daily activities to allow more rest.

Pain management strategies to improve comfort at night – I took prescribed pain medication as needed, making sure I stayed ahead of discomfort rather than waiting for it to get worse. Mindfulness exercises also helped me manage pain without relying entirely on medication.

Creating a comfortable sleep environment – I adjusted my sleeping position to avoid putting pressure on my surgical wounds. Using extra pillows for support helped me stay asleep longer. I also kept my room cool and dark to promote deeper sleep quality.

Monitoring and Adjusting Sleep Patterns

Tracking my sleep patterns became essential during cancer treatment. I used the Oura Ring to monitor REM sleep, deep sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability (HRV). This data helped me understand how chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery affected my sleep quality. Whenever I saw changes in my sleep duration or HRV, I adjusted my routine to improve recovery.

I regularly discussed my sleep disturbances with my health care team to identify patterns and possible solutions. People with cancer often experience trouble sleeping, and my doctors helped me rule out underlying issues like sleep apnea or side effects from medication. Research from clinical oncology and the National Cancer Institute suggests that poor sleep can influence cancer risk and slow down recovery, so I made sleep a priority.

What Adjustments Did I Make Based on Sleep Data?

Sleep tracking allowed me to make informed decisions about my routine. When my deep sleep was low, I added more infrared therapy before bed to promote relaxation. If my HRV dropped, I took extra rest days and avoided high-intensity exercise. A self-reported sleep duration that was too short signaled that I needed to adjust my sleep schedule or modify my diet.

I also learned that stress response played a role in my sleep problems. A high nighttime heart rate often meant my circadian rhythms were off. To fix this, I improved my sleep timing, practiced meditation, and limited exposure to bright screens before bed. These small changes helped me fall asleep faster and reduced nighttime sleep disturbances.

Lessons Learned About Sleep During Treatment

Sleep is just as important as diet and physical activity in supporting cancer survivorship. I realized that sleep disorders can slow recovery, and waiting for the body to fix itself wasn’t an option. Short sleep duration and sleep deprivation made symptoms worse, so I had to take control of my sleep habits.

Sleep plays a critical role in treatment outcomes – Getting enough sleep improved my energy levels, immune response, and overall recovery.

Proactively managing sleep disturbances is necessary – Tracking sleep duration, adjusting habits, and consulting with my health care team helped prevent long-term issues.

Daily routines should support better sleep – A structured sleep schedule, relaxation techniques, and limiting caffeine improved my sleep quality over time.

Advice for Others

Sleep challenges are common for cancer patients, but they can be managed with the right approach. Minor adjustments can lead to better recovery and improved mental health during cancer treatment.

Consult healthcare professionals about sleep disturbances – A sleep specialist can help identify sleep apnea, sleep disordered breathing, or medication-related sleep problems.

Establish a consistent bedtime routine – Going to bed and waking up at the same time helps regulate circadian rhythms and improves sleep quality.

Use technology and relaxation techniques – Devices like the Oura Ring and the Apollo Wearable helped track and improve my sleep patterns. Mindfulness, meditation, and infrared therapy also reduced sleep disturbances.

Monitor your sleep patterns and make necessary adjustments – Tracking self-reported sleep duration, REM sleep, and deep sleep helped me find what worked best for my body during treatment.

Final Thoughts on Sleep and Cancer Treatment

Managing sleep patterns during cancer treatment was as important as nutrition and physical activity. Poor sleep made recovery harder, increased fatigue, and affected my mental health. Tracking my sleep duration, adjusting my sleep habits, and using relaxation techniques helped improve my sleep quality over time.

People with cancer often face sleep disturbances, but working with my health care team, using technology like the Oura Ring, and maintaining a structured sleep schedule made a difference. Prioritizing good sleep supported my immune function, improved my energy levels, and helped me through the most challenging phases of treatment.

References

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Irwin, M. R., Olmstead, R., & Carroll, J. E. (2016). Sleep Disturbance, Sleep Duration, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies and Experimental Sleep Deprivation. Biological psychiatry, 80(1), 40–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.05.014

Montgomery, G. H., Schnur, J. B., & Kravits, K. (2013). Hypnosis for cancer care: over 200 years young. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 63(1), 31–44. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21165

National Cancer Institute. (2024). Sleep. National Cancer Institute. Retrieved from https://progressreport.cancer.gov/prevention/sleep

National Cancer Institute. (2024). Sleep Disorders (PDQ®)–Patient Version. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/sleep-disorders-pdq

Trudel-Fitzgerald, C., Zhou, E. S., Poole, E. M., Zhang, X., Michels, K. B., Eliassen, A. H., Chen, W. Y., Holmes, M. D., Tworoger, S. S., & Schernhammer, E. S. (2017). Sleep and survival among women with breast cancer: 30 years of follow-up within the Nurses' Health Study. British journal of cancer, 116(9), 1239–1246. https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.2017.85

What My Sleep Patterns Looked Like During Different Treatment Phases?