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sunrise_sunset's avatar
sunrise_sunset
Member
6 months ago

Is everyone sleeping or just not posting?

Hi there 
Not sure at what point I go from newly diagnosed (August 2024) to more? Or if I’m no longer considered “new” if I’ve just had surgery early October? Like many others I’ve been busy just getting ready and preparing and being overwhelmed. These few days post surgery at home are the time I can now think. Only I can’t really think, it’s just blank and nights are the worst.
coping
early-breast-cancer
new-diagnosis
post-surgery

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  • arpie's avatar
    arpie
    Member
    5 months ago
    Great that the Melatonin is helping you sleep. xx

    It is just horrible when you are awake all night!!
  • MelV83's avatar
    MelV83
    Member
    5 months ago
    I struggle too with being awake late, but it was much worse before I had my staging results and treatment plan. 

    I have the abc and sbs apps on my phone and I honestly just put on nature documentaries but laid there listening rather than watching and feel asleep so much easier because I wasn’t “trying” to sleep. 

    I now also take 10mg of melatonin a night which gives me around 5-6 hours of sleep at night and then I nap in the afternoons.
  • sunrise_sunset's avatar
    sunrise_sunset
    Member
    6 months ago
    Thank you @Afraser for your sharing. My sleepless nights also pre-date my current diagnosis. Like you, I have a few things I try... you are right that thinking at that time of night is not the best.
    I have found using an app like Calm is useful. I use the sleep stories and meditations, especially the breathing ones. I have also found colouring to be quite soothing to my busy mind, both physical colouring books and digital apps. I also binge audiobooks and streaming as a last resort to just tire myself out so I can sleep. Not always the best but it works for me.
  • Afraser's avatar
    Afraser
    Member
    6 months ago
    We possibly need to resurrect Night Howls! My night time wakefulness predates a cancer diagnosis - and treatment didn’t fix it (the wakefulness I mean!). I’ve learned to
    live with it - the deep quiet is often welcome, I do sudoku to stop my mind wandering all over the place, valerian helps and the occasional sleeping pill when it all gets a bit too persistent. 

    It’s worth remembering that nothing, nothing at all makes better sense at 2.30 in the morning, so don’t let your mind dwell on nonsense. If you really can’t sleep, get up and do something rather than lie and fret!! Leave your phone in another room, read a boring book (good ones keep you awake) or try a crossword. But sometimes just breathing, slowly in and out, can be remarkably soothing. Thinking is for day time, night is for calm and just being. 

  • sunrise_sunset's avatar
    sunrise_sunset
    Member
    6 months ago
    Thank you @arpie for the warm welcome. It’s not a group I wanted to become able to join and it’s nice to hear from others. It’s been sad and overwhelming to read so far, I’ll post my story soon.

  • arpie's avatar
    arpie
    Member
    6 months ago
    hi @sunrise_sunset - there was a bunch of us a few years back who were often up & awake throughout the night .... less so now, it would seem ! ;)   

    Welcome to the blog ..... so sorry to see you join us!!  As a 'new' member, I reckon it would be a good idea to whack your story in the Newly Diagnosed, as you are fairly early in your journey & not long had your surgery - I hope you are recovering well & not doing too much.

    In that post, Feel free to tell us which BC you have, what surgery you've had & I guess you've got your game plan now too?  Possibly chemo, radiation and/or hormone suppressing meds ....

    take care