Sleep Disorders: Sleep and Chronic Illness

A chronic illness is an illness that lasts for a long time and usually cannot be cured, but it often can be controlled. Examples include diabetes, arthritis, HIV/AIDS, lupus, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.

The pain and fatigue that people with chronic illness experience have a large impact on their daily lives, including sleep. Because of their illness, people with chronic illnesses 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. Additionally, many people with chronic illnesses also suffer from depression, which can also affect their sleep. Lastly, some drugs used to treat chronic illnesses can cause sleep problems.

Learn about sleep and depression.

Treatments

The First Step: Control Pain

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.

Behavioral Modifications

If after following adequate pain control, you are still experiencing problems with sleep, these tips 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.

Medications

If behavioral modifications and non-medical methods are not effective, there are several prescription medications to help people sleep. These agents include sleeping pills like Ambien, Sonata and Lunesta, as well as benzodiazepines, such as Restoril; antidepressants, such as Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac; antihistamines; and antipsychotics. For patients who have chronic pain and depression, insomnia may best be treated with a tricyclic antidepressant, such as Pamelor or Elavil.

Talk to your doctor to find the best sleep solution for you.

Learn about medications used to treat insomnia.
Get tips on how to get a good night's sleep.

Reviewed by a doctor in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at The Cleveland Clinic..