Cancer, Chemotherapy & Insomnia

A new study examined the link between insomnia and cancer.

The study involved 823 people with cancer; all of them were receiving chemotherapy. Their average age was 58 years; about 73 percent were women.

Results show a high rate of insomnia in people with cancer. Forty-three percent had insomnia during day seven of cycle 1 of chemotherapy. Another 37 percent reported insomnia symptoms.

“Our research shows that insomnia is very common among patients undergoing cancer treatment,” lead author Oxana Palesh, PhD, said in a news release.

Insomnia persisted during the first two cycles of chemotherapy. Sixty percent of participants reported that their insomnia symptoms remained unchanged from cycle 1 to cycle 2.

People who were younger than 58 years were more likely to have insomnia. Participants with breast cancer had the highest number of overall insomnia complaints. People with insomnia had more depression and fatigue than good sleepers.

“The good news for people with cancer is that there are many effective treatment options that can help,” Palesh said. These include cognitive behavioral therapy and medications.

Earlier this year another study suggested that sleep problems may lead to an increase in pain in people with cancer. Read more about sleep and cancer.

Learn about insomnia due to medical condition on SleepEducation.com. Get help for a sleep problem at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.