Are you searching for resources to help with your sleep and thinking, or want to chat with someone about your cancer experience?
Look no further! The Sleep, Health, & Wellness Lab has searched for books, apps, websites, support groups, and more, focusing on managing insomnia, memory problems, and helping to cope with cancer.
**Note: The sleep resources listed below are designed to treat issues with insomnia (difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up too early) and are not meant to help with other sleep problems such as sleep apnea (stop breathing during the night), restless leg syndrome, or narcolepsy (sleep attacks). If you suspect that you have a condition other than insomnia, consider talking to your physician or your local sleep clinic.
Books
Sink Into Sleep
Author: Judith R. Davidson, PhD - Psychologist and sleep expert, Queen's University, Kingston, ON
Sink Into Sleep offers a week-by-week guide to using cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia - the gold standard treatment for sleep disorders - to improve your sleep. Although grounded in science, Sink Into Sleep is encouraging and easy to follow, allowing readers to start their journey towards a better night's sleep. There are separate chapters on sleep medications, men's issues, women's issues, anxiety and depression, medical conditions such as chronic pain, allergies, and more.
Quiet Your Mind & Get To Sleep: Solutions to Insomnia for Those with Depression, Anxiety, or Chronic
Author: Colleen Carney, PhD & Rachel Manber, PhD - sleep experts at Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON and Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Quiet Your Mind & Get to Sleep is another excellent self-help book based on cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). Although this book goes through all aspects of CBT-I, it focuses on the cognitive and mindful aspects of therapy to address the negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours that can make it hard to sleep, with a particular focus on issues due to anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. By setting weekly goals and tracking your sleep through the included worksheets, readers can break the vicious cycle of poor sleep.
Apps, Websites, and Online Therapists
CBT-I Coach
Developed by the U.S. Veterans Administration system, CBT-I Coach is a free mobile app designed to be an add-on to your sleep treatment. The app helps to track your sleep and provides extra tips on improving your sleep. Consider using another recommended resource, such as one of the above books.
Consensus Sleep Diary
Sleep diaries are one of the main ways sleep therapists monitor sleep problems and adjust treatment. Using the Consensus Sleep Diary, you can track your sleep and progress while using one of the other recommended resources, such as one of the books listed above.
Go! To Sleep
Go! To Sleep is a clinically developed 6-week online program by the Cleveland Clinic. The program starts with an initial assessment to establish your sleep score, followed by six specifically crafted weekly lessons designed to change how you think and act about sleep. The program and companion app cost $40 USD.
Haleo Clinic
Haleo is a Canadian-based virtual sleep clinic that provides professional treatment for insomnia and poor sleep from the comfort of your home. Therapy is available in French and English using secure videoconferencing, similar to Zoom. Sessions are billed at approximately half the cost of in-person sessions (~$100 CAD). Check with your insurance provider to see if this service may be covered. Internet access is required to use Haleo.
Sleep Helpline
The Sleep Helpline is a professionally-staffed national helpline providing free & personalized support and resources for people facing sleep issues & sleep disorders.
How the Sleep Helpline Can Assist:
Help individuals communicate with members of their healthcare team
Provide accurate information about sleep disorder symptoms, diagnosis procedures, and treatment options
Help map a route from diagnosis to treatment and daily living
Provide information and resources for loved ones and caregivers
Provide free sleep disorders educational materials
Connect individuals to national resources, patient advocacy organizations, and additional assistance programs
Memory, Concentration, and Attention
Chronic Pain
Managing your chronic pain
Experiencing chronic pain is common, especially after cancer, and can negatively affect your day-to-day life. The first step to managing chronic pain is always to speak with a physician to understand the root cause of your pain. Once you understand the cause of your pain, your healthcare team can help manage your pain's physical, emotional, and psychological aspects.
Here are some tips on managing your chronic pain:
- Keep Active - Consider routine physical activity (taking the stairs, parking in the back of the parking lot) and avoid sitting for long periods. Remember to stretch, and don't push yourself more than you can handle.
- Manage your stress - Consider Meditation, yoga, or mindfulness-based stress reduction. A psychologist can also help to manage your stress and develop a plan to manage your pain.
- Distract Yourself - When pain flares, find ways to distract yourself. Pleasant experiences can help you cope with pain. For example, consider watching a movie, taking a walk, or doing breathing exercises. A psychologist or mental health professional can help you find coping skills and gain control over your pain.
- Follow Prescriptions Carefully - If medications are included in your treatment plan, use them as prescribed by your healthcare team. A psychologist can also help develop a routine to stay on track with your treatment plan.
You don't have to experience pain alone. Consider talking to a licensed mental health professional or contacting one of the pain clinics below.
Newfoundland & Labrador - Centre for Pain and Disability Management
Nova Scotia - Chronic Pain Services
New Brunswick - The Atlantic Pain Clinic
New Brunswick - New Brunswick Pain Institute
Prince Edward Island - New Brunswick Pain Institute
Cancer Supports
Sharing Our Strength (SOS) Breast Cancer Support Group (NL-provincewide)
PEI Breast Cancer Information Partnership (PEI-provincewide)
Life on ADT (Canada-wide)
Prostate cancer - Patient Empowerment Program (International-Based in Atlantic Canada)
Young Adult Cancer Canada (Canada-wide)
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada Peer Support Program (Canada-wide)
Mental Health Services
Memorial University Insomnia Clinic
The lab director, Dr. Sheila Garland, operates a small training clinic where patients can receive treatment for insomnia and other sleep and mood disorders. In addition, our therapists regularly work with individuals diagnosed with cancer and their families to manage the psychological effects of the cancer diagnosis and its treatment. Please call 709-864-8025, email muninsomniaclinic@gmail.com or click the link below to inquire about our services.
Finding a Psychologist
At certain times of our lives, each of us may feel overwhelmed and may need help coping with our stress. It is perfectly normal to ask for help, and sometimes we need a licensed professional to help work through our concerns. A psychologist can help you live healthier, more productive lives.
To find a psychologist in your area, please click on one of the links below, or visit the website of your local psychological association.
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