The importance of sleep for breast cancer recovery
Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining health and well-being. Sleep is often an issue when having treatment for breast cancer due to treatment side effects, emotional distress, hormonal treatment that might result in hot flushes or joint problems and pain.
Sleep really matters for people with breast cancer as sleep boosts immune function by allowing the body to repair cells, reduces inflammation and produces immune cells. Sleep also regulates hormones, helps you to manage your mental health and reduces inflammation.
Up grading sleep habits when having breast cancer treatment
Even though we live in a modern world with many of us experiencing artificial light at night, our bodies are designed to sleep when it is dark and to be awake when its light. Modern life is often at odds as we have inappropriate light at night or lack of light during the day particularly in wintertime. The goal is to be able to have between 7-8 hours’ sleep at least. Deep sleep is required to produce human growth hormone. Human growth hormone helps you to maintain weight levels and to repair your body to restore your body for the next day. According to The Sleep Foundation, if you are currently having less sleep, it can make you feel tired, subject to illness and heart issues and make it difficult for you to shift weight.
Sleep advice during the day
Try to get outside when it is light preferably without sunglasses for about 30 minutes. During the day try to open blinds and curtains in the morning when you are in the house. Blue light from the sun can help us to feel alert in the morning. Using a light box during the daytime if you are inside in the winter may help to maintain a good circadian rhythm. Often light boxes change the light levels during the evening to allow your body to start preparing for bed. If it doesn’t automatically change to a different light level, then turn it off or down manually.
Try to exercise, but not too late at night and not too much as your cortisol levels will rise with exercise. Do restorative exercise such as yoga in the evening. A twenty minute walk is advised per day.
Please try to avoid caffeine after noon. According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration it takes 4-6 hours for half of the caffeine to clear from your body, but for some people it can be up to 12 hours. Some research suggests that caffeine can influence sleep for 16 hours after it was consumed. According to The Sleep Foundation caffeine is linked to sleep disordered breathing and disrupts the natural sleep-wake cycle.
Reduce alcohol or cut it down. Alcohol can often act as a sedative but decreases the quality of sleep.
There are vitamins and foods that are supporters of sleep; Vitamins C, D, B6 and potassium, calcium, omega 3 and pre/probiotics. For advice on these please see a clinician that is specialised in nutrition. Melatonin is very helpful to aid sleep and can be found naturally in tart cherry juice and a handful of pistachios. Foods’s rich in tryptophan can also help, as it is a precursor of melatonin. Foods such as turkey, chicken, bananas, avocado, prunes, chickpeas, and lentils contain tryptophan. It can be useful to have a snack of one of these foods in the evening to help with sleep. Try not to eat too late but if you are cutting out starchy carbs make such that you have enough to allow you to sleep through without waking up early due to hunger.
Sleep advice during the evening
A warm (not hot) magnesium bath or shower before bed can help with muscle relaxation.
Start to dial out light exposure by cutting out exposure to blue light from screens by 8-9 pm and anti-blue light glasses can help if using a laptop early evening.
Meditation, massage, and yoga can all be helpful at aiding sleep.
Getting ready for bed
Try to aim to go to bed and wake up at similar times every night.
Try not to take work to bed with you so that you can unwind before bed.
A dark, cool bedroom which is a haven for you to be in is more conducive for sleep.
Sleep supporting essential oils might help such as lavender.
Earplugs and eye masks are useful if your sleep is disturbed by light or sound.
Make sure that your bedding is not too hot for you and don’t overdress. Layers can be helpful so you can adjust your heat.
Magnesium spray on the feet can help with muscle relaxation.
Read fiction in bed, not on screens and using red light bulbs can help to make you sleepier!
Ban electronics from the bedroom and get an old-fashioned alarm!
If you are disturbed at night regularly by having to get up to urinate, try to avoid drinks for two hours before bed, try to eliminate caffeine and alcohol and limit your overall volume of fluids in the day to 1.5-2 litres.