Trouble sleeping, also known as insomnia, is a very common side effect of lung cancer and its treatment. Even when you feel very tired, you can have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Emotional, mental, or physical symptoms, along with lung cancer treatments and treatment-related medicines, can cause insomnia.

It’s recommended that the average adult get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Getting enough quality sleep is important to your overall health, healing, and quality of life.

It’s important to provide your healthcare team with the specific signs and symptoms of your insomnia so they can find the right solution and offer relief.

Signs and symptoms of insomnia can include:

• Trouble falling asleep
• Trouble staying asleep
• Having poor quality of sleep
• Feeling unrested after sleeping
• Feeling tired during the day

Insomnia can also impact you during the daytime by affecting your energy level, reflexes, mood, memory, and concentration. Over time, the effects of insomnia can worsen and impact your daily activities and quality of life.

Lung cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation therapy can all impact sleep by creating inflammation in the body. Other medicines used along with lung cancer treatment, such as steroids, can also impact sleep by affecting hormones involved in the body’s sleep-wake cycles.

Insomnia can also be caused by the uncomfortable physical and emotional side effects of lung cancer treatments. Examples include:

• Physical discomfort, such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, skin irritation, or pain
• Unfamiliar environments or changes to routines, such as an overnight stay at the hospital
• Stress, anxiety, or depression

Insomnia can worsen fatigue and stress in people diagnosed with lung cancer, which can impact recovery and quality of life—but there are ways to manage it.

Practical tips:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
• Stay away from caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
• Avoid eating, exercising, or using your cell phone, tablet, or computer for at least 2 hours before bedtime.
• Choose a restful task before bed, such as taking a warm bath, reading, listening to soft music, or meditation.
• Make sure your bedroom is cool and dark.
• Limit naps to no longer than an hour each day.
• Try a weighted blanket.
• Calm an active mind by listening to relaxing music, a fan, sound machine, or sleep app.

It’s always a good idea to tell a member of your healthcare team when you notice a side effect from treatment or a symptom that concerns you. Often, these problems can be prevented or eased with help from your healthcare team or through palliative care services. Insomnia is a common side effect of lung cancer treatment, and there are many ways to manage it.

Contact your healthcare team if insomnia is:

• Ongoing for more than a month
• Causing anxiety or is worrisome to you
• Limiting your ability to perform daily tasks
• Reducing your quality of life
• Impacting your thinking skills