Why Sleep Is So Hard During Chemo, And the Products That Actually Helped Me
When I was going through chemotherapy, I expected the exhaustion. What I didn’t expect was how hard it would be to actually sleep.
My mind wouldn’t switch off. I’d lie there running through everything, what I needed to sort for dinner the next day, worries about my next round of treatment, a hundred small things that felt huge at 11pm. And even once I finally drifted off, it never lasted. I’d wake up four or five times a night, a side effect of the treatment itself, and by morning I’d feel like I hadn’t slept at all.
That cycle of poor-quality sleep and exhaustion was one of the hardest parts of treatment for me and it’s why I created our Chemo Gift Box – Help You Sleep.
Every item in it is something that genuinely helped me:
Sleep Better Pillow mist:
To spritz before bed, so the scent alone became a cue to relax.
Spacemasks:
Self-heating space masks for the eyes infused with jasmine, which helped me doze off even on the nights my mind wouldn’t quiet down.
Earplugs:
Which made a real difference on the ward, where the constant beeping of machines made it impossible to grab even a short nap.
Pukka night-time herbal teas:
2x Lavender and lime flower, 2x Echinacea, chamomile and berries for winding down and sleeping.
None of these are miracle cures. But together, they helped me fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, and that made an enormous difference to how I felt the next day.
If you’re going through chemo yourself, or looking for a thoughtful gift for someone who is, I hope this box gives them a little more rest than I had in those early nights. Shop the Chemo Gift Box – Help You Sleep here
Pink Ribbon Lingerie was launched in 2010 by mother and daughter Hilary & Camille, selling post-mastectomy products in a wide range of colours and sizes from suppliers all around the world, giving you more choices to help women feel beautiful.
