A good night's sleep can work wonders for an individual's outlook on the day at hand. When someone loses sleep or does not get the kind of sleep that refreshes, irritability can result and the ability to complete tasks may be difficult. Overall, the person’s quality of life is affected.

For individuals with cancer, problems with sleep may be caused by pain, anxiety, depression, medications, or night sweats. Sleep may be difficult because of side effects from treatment or overnight hospital stays. And, the growth of a tumor may be another factor affecting sleep in some cancer patients, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Chronic sleep disturbances, resulting in loss of sleep, may make it hard for cancer patient to continue therapy. For a cancer patient, fatigue already may be a problem and sleep loss can contribute significantly to this challenge.

"Fatigue is a very common effect of cancer and its treatment, but it can be reduced with such measures as a program of regular exercise, rest periods during the day, and restful sleep during the night," according to Terri Ades, RN, ACON, director of quality of life and health promotion strategy at the American Cancer Society.

"Of course adequate restful sleep is important for many reasons and loss of sleep for anyone, including the cancer patient, can occur for a variety of reasons," Ades says. "Most sleep disturbances can be treated effectively, but the cause of the problem must first be identified. Treatment is aimed at treating the cause."

Sleep disturbance can take the form of either not being able to sleep or sleeping too much. To diagnose a sleep disorder in a cancer patient, a doctor will take a patient's medical history, including asking about daytime and sleep habits, amount of exercise, and current medications, along with giving a physical exam. Often this may be enough to determine the cause of the sleep problem.

Sometimes when the cause is not identified, a patient may be asked to spend the night at a sleep disorders center. Sleep experts at the center may conduct a test with a polysomnogram, an instrument that measures brain waves, eye movements, muscle tone, heart rate, and breathing during sleep.

Most sleep problems can be treated successfully. Check this list of tips to get a good night's sleep:

• Sleep as much as your body tells you to, but while awake, try to exercise once a day
• Try to discuss your fears earlier in the day rather than at night before bedtime
• Create a quiet environment for sleep
• Try to sleep during the same period of time each day
• Create a bedtime ritual, like reading or taking a warm bath
• Use deep breathing exercises to bring your body to a more relaxed state
• Ask someone to give you a massage before bedtime
• Drink warm, noncaffeinated drinks such as warm milk and honey
• Keep sheets clean and neatly tucked in and as free as possible from wrinkles
• If you are taking medication for pain or sleep, take them at a regular time each night