Impact of sleep disturbance in palliative care

Sleep is essential to physical and mental wellbeingCurrow, 2021Finan, 2013Haack, 2020Irwin, 2017. Patients with palliative care needs can experience a range of sleep disturbances including insomnia, sleep–wake phase disturbance and disturbing dreams.

Daytime dysfunction caused by sleep disturbance can present with drowsiness and fatigue, irritability, mood disturbance and poor attention, which can impair social interaction and occupational or academic performance.

Assessing and managing sleep problems in patients with palliative care needs can help to improve quality of lifeKrystal, 2019. Sleep disturbance can contribute to significant patient and carer distress and often has a bidirectional relationship with other symptoms or conditionsFinan, 2013Haack, 2020Irwin, 2017, particularly pain, breathlessness and fatigueLee, 2021. Chronic insomnia increases the risk of falls, major depression, anxiety disorders, disorders of substance use, and a desire to dieKrystal, 2019.