I still remember the surprise expressed by Dr. Sheila Garland, sleep expert quoted in Moving Through Cancer, when I agreed with her that sleep came before exercise.

After all, I’m an exercise physiologist. Shouldn’t I think exercise is more important than anything? But without proper sleep, exercise becomes less useful, and sometimes even harmful. In the book, Moving Through Cancer, we include a full chapter on sleep. We commend it to you. In this section of the website, we share a few of the tips from the book and guide you to a few trusted resources about sleep.

A few tips for getting a good night’s sleep:

Sleep Hygiene

• Have a fixed wake-up time.

• Get outside in the sunlight.

• Be physically active.

• Limit naps to 30 minutes and nap no later than the early afternoon.

• Avoid alcohol.

• If you haven’t fallen asleep after 20 minutes, don’t toss and turn. Get up and stretch, read or do something else calming before trying to fall asleep again.

Reliable resources about sleep

The National Cancer Institute has published several online pages about sleep problems and insomnia during cancer treatment

• https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/sleep-disorders

• https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/sleep-disorders-pdq

The American Cancer Society has multiple webpages devoted to sleep problems. Start here:

• https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/sleep-problems.html