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"It's so weird, why do I always feel more tired in the morning than when I go to bed at night?" Zhang Wei sat in the doctor's office, rubbing his temples and frowning.
The 43-year-old has always been physically tough, until in recent months, when he began to experience a series of confusing sleep problems, including multiple awakenings during the night, extreme fatigue in the morning, and constant leg discomfort at night.
Zhang Wei is a busy urban architect with a fast-paced and stressful daily life. His job often requires him to work late into the night, but even so, he maintains a habit of exercising regularly in an attempt to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, his sleep quality has decreased significantly over the past few months, which has had an impact on his work and mood.
Faced with Zhang Wei's troubles, the doctor listened carefully to his description, and then said, "Your symptoms may point to some underlying health problems, and we need to do some detailed examinations. Subsequently, Zhang Wei underwent a series of blood tests and physical examinations, including screening for tumor markers.
After the results of the examination came out, the doctor's face became serious: "Zhang Wei, we found that the levels of certain tumor markers in your body are abnormally elevated, which may be an early sign of cancer. We need to do more detailed imaging tests immediately. This is undoubtedly a huge blow to Zhang Wei, who has always thought he is healthy.
Subsequent CT and MRI scans showed that Zhang Wei did have malignant tumors in his body, and they were already at an advanced stage. "Your sleep problems at night, especially frequent awakenings and fatigue in the morning, are actually warning signs that your body is telling you," the doctor explains. The growth of cancer cells consumes a lot of your energy, which is why you feel unusually tired. ”
In the following conversation, the doctor explained in detail how the tumor affects the body's daily functions, especially sleep. Cancer patients often experience changes in sleep patterns due to pain, difficulty breathing, or biochemical changes caused by the tumor itself.
Zhang's leg discomfort may be related to the pressure of cancer cells on surrounding tissues, which is more pronounced at night, so his sleep quality is severely affected.
"The relationship between cancer and sleep is complex," the doctor continues, "and on the one hand, pain and discomfort can directly affect the quality of your sleep, and on the other hand, lack of good sleep can exacerbate your condition." That's why we often emphasize the importance of quality sleep for health. ”
There are quite a few cancer patients who have sleep problems during diagnosis. These problems are not limited to the difficulty of falling asleep due to pain, but also include anxiety and depression due to increased mental stress, which can also seriously affect the quality of sleep.
We need to adopt a multifaceted approach to ensure that the patient's quality of life during treatment is maintained at the best possible level. ”
The doctor went on to point out that, contrary to conventional wisdom, it is not only the direct symptoms of cancer that can affect sleep, but also the drugs used during treatment, such as chemotherapy drugs, can also cause patients to develop sleep disorders. Possible side effects of chemotherapy drugs, such as nausea, vomiting and general weakness, can indirectly affect the patient's sleep pattern.
"We have seen a lot of cases of patients having reduced sleep quality during chemotherapy, which is closely related to the side effects of the drugs. In particular, those drugs that involve the nervous system may cause patients to have insomnia, sleep disruption and other problems. In this regard, we work with dietitians and psychologists to develop a personalized support plan to help patients better manage these side effects. ”
Under the detailed explanation of the doctor, Zhang Wei learned that his symptoms were not accidental, but the result of a combination of factors. This gave him a more complete picture of his condition and a more realistic anticipation of the treatment process that was about to begin.
"So, doctor, is it possible to help alleviate these symptoms by adjusting lifestyle habits, such as improving the sleeping environment or adjusting bedtime activities?" Zhang Wei asked with concern, hoping to reduce the inconvenience in life as much as possible while maintaining the effect of treatment.
The doctor nodded and replied, "Of course." In fact, improving the sleep environment is very important for cancer patients. Maintaining a quiet, comfortable, and well-lit sleeping environment and making sure your bedding is clean and comfortable are basic. ”
In addition, adjusting your bedtime activities to avoid excessive physical or mental exertion and opting for lighter activities such as listening to soft music or reading can also help you fall asleep better. ”
What do you think about cancer prevention?