Disruption of sleep in patients with cancer
Divided into periods of natural sleep into two stages, the stage of rapid movement of the eye (rapid eye movement REM) and also known as the phase of sleep, the dreamer, and the brain through an active and effective, then the stage (move the eye is rapid), or the stage of hibernation and relax, (non rapid eye movement NREM), and pass the sleeping pattern of these two phases repeatedly and sequentially, followed by the stage of hibernation phase of rapid movement of the eye, in the sessions take about 90 minutes each during the period of 7-8 hours of sleep.
And are classified as disorders that overlap and affect the system of normal sleep usually four types:
Disruption of the inability to sleep soundly, and stay awake in the no insomnia (insomnia).
Imbalance in the mechanism of sleep and then wake up the module.
Imbalances related to the stages of sleep and wakefulness partial (parasomnia).
Disruption of hypersomnia.
And sleep disorders appear when some of the cancer patients, and often suffer from two types of sleep disorders: insomnia and sleep disruption mechanism waking up, and has attributed the reasons for this imbalance to several factors, including the disease itself and the accompanying pain, of course, in addition to the impact of drug treatments, and stress and nervousness, and just being in the hospital.
In total, including the effects of tumors and its processors, which may lead to sleep disorders:
Phobias, anxiety and depression and frustration, and pain, and fever, and cough and breathing problems, and feel the skin and skin, itching, and fatigue, and seizures or epileptic, headache, night sweats, and diarrhea, constipation, nausea , and the inability to control their physical functioning.
Add to exposure of patients to interruption or disturbing sleep for various reasons, such as the Times of receiving treatments or routine of the hospital, or the presence of escorts or other patients in the treatment rooms, or noise, or room temperature, and the patient's age a big impact in the pattern of sleep, and on the other hand can to cause sleep disorders and chronic irritation of the person in the sustainable and continued unity of mood and has the ability to focus, in addition to the emergence of depression and phobias and anxiety, and naturally that the occurrence of such problems sleeping at the hospital the patient's presence makes the follow-up treatments is difficult and cumbersome .
Diagnosis of sleep disorders
In order to diagnose sleep problems, the doctor review the patient's medical history, and finding sleep habits have, in addition to physical examination, may also resort to the use of probe sleep (polysomnogram), and is a device that is which to measure brain waves and eye movement and a sense of muscle during the stages of sleep , in addition to the rates of fast heartbeat and breathing pace, in order to determine the extent of sleep disruption in the patient, in order to arrange appropriate treatment plan.
On the treatment of sleep disorders
Sleep disorder can be treated on the same tumor cancer treatment, and control the side effects of various treatments, and useful recommendations to enhance comfort and treatment of sleep disorders:
The need to evaluate the patient in an environment of low noise and inconvenience to avoid interrupting sleep, and arrange lighting appropriate faint or light switch off altogether, and modify the temperature of the room, and kept clean and dry bed, mattresses and free of wrinkles, and the use of cushions suitable in situations supportive of the body, as well as to urge the patient to wear a soft and loose and comfortable.
Read the Koran, and prayers of praise and repeat the sleep constantly.
Urge the patient to control the vomiting and urination habits to avoid interrupted sleep, such as not drinking, and vomiting before going to sleep, and increased consumption of fluids and fiber-rich foods during the day.
Eating protein-rich snack before going to sleep about two hours, and avoid beverages containing caffeine or stimulants.
The performance of some light physical exercises as possible, which should be completed shortly before bedtime is sufficient.
Urge the patient to maintain adequate sleep habits and conditioning to sleep.
Avoid using the bed for purposes other than sleeping, such as reading, as much as possible.
Doctor may prescribe some medicine to help cancer patients overcome sleep disorders to suit each case, but this should be done in the short term without the continuation of taking the medication for prolonged periods.
