Survivorship
Sleep Disturbance
Sleep disturbances are a common occurence in cancer patients during and after cancer treatment.
Melatonin for sleep disturbance
Melatonin at a dose of 5-40 mg before bed has helped some people recovering from cancer to overcome sleep disturbances. Melatonin can be used as a sleep aid safely for periods of up to 4-6 weeks.
There have been several clinical trials of melatonin used in combination with some chemotherapy drugs. These studies suggest that melatonin may also have immunological anticancer activity. Melatonin may be helpful as sleep aid for cancer survivors who may not tolerate well other sleep medication. Naturopathic physicians usually start cancer patients at 5-10 mg capsule taken before bed. Some patients may need more (up to 40 mg before bed) to improve the quality of sleep.