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Importance of sleep in stress, immunity?

Page last modified on: August 20, 2008

Question from Carrieau: How important is getting enough sleep in guarding against stress and maintaining a healthier immune system?: Answers —Mitch Golant, Ph.D.: There is no question that sleep and rest are really important aspects of dealing with cancer. For one thing, the treatment and its side effects impact sleep. What we are also concerned about is fatigue, which is a kind of tiredness that rest doesn't alleviate. By far, the sense of fatigue is what becomes a tremendous impact on people's energy and feeling like they want their lives back, so we are also talking about the quality of rest, not just logging hours. I would invite all of you here to look at ways that enhance and lead to more restful sleep and feeling refreshed. Some of those ways have to do with learning relaxation exercises, and actually having more intimacy or closeness.; Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: There are some things that feel beyond our control that interfere with sleep, like the fears that pop up and the hot flashes that occur.

On Wednesday, September 19, 2001, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Stress and Your Immune System. Mitch Golant, Ph.D. and Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions on how stress affects your treatment, and what you can do to boost your immune system.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Mitch Golant, Ph.D. is a health psychologist and senior vice president of research and development for the national office of The Wellness Community, which provides free psychological and emotional support to help people with cancer on their path to recovery. His research focuses on the benefits of online and community support groups for women with breast cancer.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.