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Tips to sleep through the night?

Page last modified on: October 8, 2008

Question from Lissa: I fall asleep well, then wake at 3 am and spend time thinking about everything I need to do. When I do fall back to sleep, I am exhausted when I again get up in the morning. Any tips to sleeping through the night?: Answers —Tish Knobf, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., A.O.C.N.: Waking up and having trouble falling back asleep can be related to anxiety. It could be related to menopausal symptoms. It could be related to emotional distress. So there are recommendations for what's called good sleep hygiene. And that includes not taking naps late in the day, going to bed at the same time every night, and if you do wake up during the night don't stay in bed. Get up, read or do something for a while, and then try and go back to bed.; Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S.: I find it helps if you make a list of the things that you are worrying about that you need to take care of. And by making a list you're committing yourself to address them during daytime, awake hours rather than having to dwell on them and trying to remember them in the middle of the night.; Tish Knobf, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., A.O.C.N.: Learn some relaxation strategies such as learning meditation or relaxation for when you do have trouble going back to sleep.

On Wednesday, January 16, 2008, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Managing Fatigue During and After Treatment. Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D., Tish Knobf, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., A.O.C.N., and Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S. answered your questions about ways to keep up your energy, how nutrition can affect fatigue, and how exercising can help.

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

Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. is a registered dietitian in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a two-time breast cancer survivor.

Tish Knobf, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., A.O.C.N. is the American Cancer Society associate professor of Oncology Nursing at Yale University. She participates in various research programs that focus on cancer recovery and exercise, risk factors for cancer, and symptoms before and after cancer therapy.

Lillie Shockney, RN., BS., M.A.S. Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S. is the administrative director of the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center.