Living with lung cancer, pain, drugs, being in the hospital, and stress can cause sleep problems. Sleep problems may include:

• Having trouble falling asleep
• Sleeping only in short amounts of time
• Waking up in the middle of the night
• Having trouble getting back to sleep

To help with your sleep problem, you may want to try:

• Reducing noise, dimming the lights, making the room warmer or cooler, and using pillows to support your body
• Dressing in soft, loose clothing
• Going to the bathroom before bed
• Eating a high-protein snack 2 hours before bedtime (such as peanut butter, cheese, nuts, or some sliced chicken or turkey)
• Avoiding caffeine (coffee, teas, colas, hot cocoa)
• Keeping regular sleep hours (avoid naps longer than 15-30 minutes)
• Talking with your healthcare team about drugs to help you sleep. These may give relief on a short-term basis.

Educational information provided by The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Internet site.