Three problems with your sleeping could be a lesser-known sign of a deadly cancer. These issues that occur at night could be the result of other symptoms caused by the disease.
According to the charity Blood Cancer UK, people with blood cancer often find it hard to get to sleep or to stay asleep, will sleep unusual hours, or experience disruptions to their sleeping patterns. This could be directly linked to symptoms caused by the cancer, such as pain or shortness of breath.
However, they could also be the result of anxiety caused by the illness or the treatments people are undergoing for it.
Blood Cancer UK says on its website: “There are many causes of sleep problems, but common ones include the impact of your general emotional well-being and the disruption of hospital stays.
“Having blood cancer can change your entire routine, so it’s no surprise that sleep gets impacted too.” As the name suggests, blood cancers affect the production and function of blood cells.
There are three main groups – leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Some of the more immediately obvious symptoms affect the skin, such as bruising, rashes, and paleness.
But others are less obvious and could easily be mistaken for something else. Blood Cancer UK continues: “When you’ve got blood cancer, it is also normal to have lots of different side effects. These can contribute towards poor sleep.”
The charity lists these as:
- Pain or discomfort
- Nausea
- Urinary or bowel problems
- Neurological problems, such as peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage)
- Medication such as steroids
- Anxiety or feeling distressed
- Hormonal changes.
On top of this, blood cancer is also known to cause “drenching” night sweats, which could wake you up in the night. And even if you feel like you are sleeping OK, some people with blood cancer can experience tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest or sleep – which is also known as fatigue.
Other potential symptoms to look out for include:
- Weight loss that is unexplained
- Bruising or bleeding that is unexplained
- Lumps or swellings
- Shortness of breath (breathlessness)
- Infections that are persistent, recurrent or severe
- Fever (38C or above) that is unexplained
- Rash or itchy skin that is unexplained
- Pain in your bones, joints or abdomen (stomach area)
- Paleness (pallor).
If you experience any symptoms you should speak to your GP. Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with over 41,000 people being diagnosed with it every year.
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There are about 250,000 people living with blood cancer in the UK. One in every 16 men and one in every 22 women will develop it at some point in their lives.
However, sleeping issues are quite common – affecting one in three Brits at some point – so if you are having trouble sleeping it could be caused by something less serious. Either way, you should speak to a doctor if your lack of sleep is causing you problems.
