Sleep Disorders: Sleep and Chronic Illness
A chronic illness is an illness that lasts for a long time and usually cannot
be cured. Examples include diabetes, arthritis, HIV/AIDS, lupus, Parkinson's
disease, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Although these diseases
can't be cured, they can often be controlled.
How Does Chronic Illness Affect Sleep?
The pain and fatigue that people with chronic illness
experience have a large impact on their daily lives, including sleep
. Because of their illness, these patients often have trouble sleeping at
night, and are sleepy during the day. This is especially the case for people who
have neurological (nervous system) diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Insomnia can make the persons pain and quality of life worse. In addition, some
drugs used to treat chronic illnesses can cause sleep problems.
People who have a chronic illness may also suffer from depression, which can
affect their sleep.
How Are Sleeping Problems Associated With Chronic Illness Treated?
The first
step is to try to control the pain associated with the illness. Once pain is
controlled, sleeping may not be a problem. Your doctor can prescribe the
appropriate pain relieving medication that suits your condition.
If following adequate pain control, you are still experiencing problems with
sleep, these simple steps may help.
- Keep noise in the room and surrounding area down as
much as possible
- Sleep in a dark room
- Keep the room temperature as comfortable as possible
- Eat or drink foods that induce sleep, such as warm
milk
- Avoid naps during the day
- Avoid foods that contain caffeine
- There are a number of other non-medicinal approaches that
are effective for sleep, including biofeedback, relaxation training,
cognitive-behavioral therapy, and sleep restriction techniques. These therapies
are most often administered by a psychologist who specializes in sleep
disorders.
If these methods are not effective, there are several prescription
medications to help people sleep. These agents include Ambien, Sonata, and
Restoril, as well as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antihistamines, and
antipsychotics. For patients who have chronic pain and depression, insomnia may
best be treated with tricyclic antidepressants.
It's usually a good idea to try non-drug pain-reducing methods before turning
to sleep medications. When medications are prescribed, it's best to use them for
a short time only (less than two weeks). If they are used for longer periods,
sleep medications like Ambien can cause tolerance and psychological dependence.
Talk to your doctor to find the best sleep solution for you.
Reviewed by The Sleep Medicine Center at The Cleveland Clinic.
Edited by
Michael J.
Breus, PhD, WebMD, September 2004.
Portions of this page ©
The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2005
Last Editorial Review: 6/20/2005
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