Awake and up all night

  • 6740 replies
  • 309 subscribers
  • 445704 views

Are you having trouble sleeping?

Sleep problems may be caused by how you’re feeling emotionally, or as part of the side effects for cancer treatment. If you find it hard to have a good sleep, you’re not alone. The Online Community is here to support you 24/7. 

“Getting a cancer diagnosis is extremely stressful, and that brings a whole load of emotions, and lack of sleep certainly does not help. I think many of us have periods of insomnia. I experienced a long period of not sleeping. I could go off to sleep quite quickly, but after an hour I would find myself wide awake again, and would spend the rest of the night getting frustrated because I couldn't sleep."
Community member, ‘Pancreatic cancer’ group

This discussion thread is for members who:

  • Have trouble sleeping and looking for somewhere to talk
  • Would like some company and support each other during the night
  • Share some things you do that helps you get to sleep

Be a part of the supportive Community in this discussion thread.

  • Evening all.

    Oh Eddie, they're wonderful - so colourful and pleasing on the eye.  Loving the giraffe and hare especially; is your surname Picasso?  Got quite a ring to it - Eddie Picasso, like a 60s heartthrob, no less.

    I like my new title of nurse Gilly too, but nurse Ratched (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) would be more like it as I can be a right dragon with my long-suffering H!

    Well, I only managed about half an hour's kip as I watched Tipping Point and got narked at how little the contestants knew.  It woke me right up again!  At least our Jetsetter friend, Helen, should get a good night's sleep in their motorhome.  Super stuff!

    Love from nurse Gilly xxx

  • Hi back, and welcome.

    Through my sleep deprived, blurry eyes, I thought your username said Facebook!

    Let's start again, sensibly on my part.  Why not tell us a little about yourself?

    Gill xx

  • Eddie, your work is fabulous! I love the hare picture especially, but you are really talented. 

    Sarah xx


    Community Champion Badge

    Cervical Cancer Forum

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

  • Hello there and welcome to the chat! Please feel free to join in with anything here-it’s a general chat group for everybody.

    Sarah xx


    Community Champion Badge

    Cervical Cancer Forum

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

  • the first one is very mixed media i like it

  • thank you, I'm 19 and today i got a call confirming an alveolar sarcoma and initiating radiotherapy so I think I'll struggle to get to sleep tonight

  • Hi and welcome from me, too.

    When does your treatment start?  You're bound to be nervous but come here whatever the time of day, as there are lots of us to chat with, about anything you like.

    Hugs xxx

  • Oh my…I’m really sorry to hear you’ve had a cancer diagnosis so young-that’s a lot to take on board.

    This particular group is for general chit chat, so you might find it helpful to also join one of the other groups which are cancer specific where people with a similar diagnosis might be able to offer support and advice. I’ll put a link here to the sarcoma forum-just click on it and you’ll get straight there-

    Soft Tissues Sarcoma Forum

    It can be harder with the less common cancers to connect with others in exactly the same situation, but I’d recommend, if you’d like to, joining the sarcoma group and introducing yourself there to see if anyone else there can share their experience of radiotherapy. 

    Meanwhile, there are plenty in this chat group who will be more than happy to chat about all sorts of different things at all different times of the day and night!

    Sarah xx


    Community Champion Badge

    Cervical Cancer Forum

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

  • thank you! I find out my treatment date on tuesday but they said it will start quite soon and I'll have it around 5 days a week so it'll be quite a big undertaking but i know others have been through it xx