Opioid Side Effects: Managing Fatigue

Go to bed and wake up at the same time, every day. This helps your body’s clock stay regular, which can also help with pain.

Creating calming “bedtime rituals” can help teach the body that it’s time to relax and go to sleep. Some people do relaxing stretches, shower or take a warm bath before bed, do breathing or relaxation exercises (try one here), or enjoy a hot cup of sleepy time tea (caffeine free).

Your bed should only be used for sleeping and for sex. Activities like reading or watching TV should be done somewhere else. Why? This makes it easier for your brain to connect your bed with sleep, which makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

If you’re stressed about falling asleep, watching the clock can make this even worse. Try hiding your clock before bed or facing it another direction. Why? This makes it easier for your brain to connect your bed with sleep, which makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

If you’re lying in bed for more than 20 minutes and cannot sleep, get up and do a quiet activity. This could be reading a book, folding laundry, or washing dishes. Avoid bright lights and avoid using electronic screens (including your cell phone) because these tend to wake you up more. After 15 minutes, try going back to bed. Lying awake in bed makes your brain associate your bed with staying awake- so try getting up for a bit and coming back to bed later. This can help cue you to fall asleep again.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol for at least 6 hours before bedtime. Caffeine (in coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate) or nicotine (in cigarettes or e-cigarettes) “activates” your brain and makes it harder to fall asleep. Although many people find alcohol relaxing, it actually interrupts sleep and worsens your sleep quality.

It’s important to get good rest when you are dealing with cancer but taking naps can make it harder to sleep at night. Over time, this can make your body lose its natural cycle of rhythm and rest. If you need to take a nap, try to keep it to no more than 30 minutes.

Regular exercise can be particularly helpful to improve the quality of your sleep. However, timing is everything! It’s best to avoid strenuous exercise about 4 hours before bedtime. Instead, try doing an activity in the morning that is both enjoyable and gets your blood pumping.