

Check that the patient is comfortable and that pain and other symptoms are well controlled.If appropriate, encourage physical activity during the day.If possible, avoid napping during the day.Encourage the person to go to bed and get up around the same times each day.The overall aim should be to improve their quality of life and make them as comfortable as possible. The person might also benefit from emotional support and relaxation therapies.Ĭheck with the patient about what changes they want to make. If you are concerned about uncontrolled symptoms, or if simple measures are not improving sleep, speak to the person’s GP or specialist nurse who can arrange further assessment and treatment. There are practical things you can do to support someone to get good quality sleep. Some people may already have had difficulty sleeping before they were diagnosed with a terminal illness. environmental conditions, such as noise and light levels, and visitors staying late.other uncontrolled symptoms, such as sweating and itch.withdrawal from medicines or substances, such as nicotine or alcohol.respiratory problems, for example breathlessness, cough or obstructive sleep apnoea.medication, such as steroids and some antidepressants.anxiety, worries, spiritual concerns and distress.bladder or bowel symptoms – having to get up to go to the toilet or being incontinent.restless legs syndrome – a common condition of the nervous system that causes an overwhelming urge to move the legs and is associated with many illnesses including anaemia and chronic kidney disease.

There are many reasons why someone may have sleep problems or a change in their sleep patterns, and there is often more than one contributing factor. Difficulty sleeping can also lead to low mood and anxiety. Being tired and unable to sleep can make physical symptoms and difficult emotions harder to manage. The quality and quantity of sleep can have a significant impact on a person’s wellbeing and quality of life.

This is different to the tiredness and fatigue which is common in people with a terminal illness. Excessive daytime sleepiness – when people have difficulty staying awake during the day and may fall asleep or become drowsy.Reduced activity in the daytime then contributes to not feeling sleepy at night and can cause a cycle of disturbed sleep. Disrupted sleep at night can then mean a person is more tired during the day. It could be caused by a noisy environment or it could be due to distressing symptoms or worries. Disorders of the sleep-wake cycle – this can happen when someone’s sleep at night is disrupted.And they will feel as though they cannot function as they would if they had slept better. This means people feel tired during the day. Insomnia – difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, or not feeling rested after sleep.This sets the pattern for other essential functions including controlling temperature and hormone levels.Ĭommon sleep problems in terminal illness include: The pattern of when we wake and when we sleep is part of the body’s overall circadian (daily) rhythm. Sleep is a complex function and is essential for our wellbeing.
