Implications for practice and research

• Sleeping-related distress is highly prevalent in patients in both inpatient and community palliative care settings.

• Good sleep can improve other symptoms that are in identified clusters, such as pain and fatigue.

• Understanding a person’s sleep history and their personal objectives in any intervention should be explored within an assessment.

Context

Sleep is essential for optimal mental and physical health.1 Poor sleep quality can have a negative impact and is associated with (among other things), a reduction in a person’s sense of well-being and quality of life.1 Patients in the palliative care stages of a progressive incurable disease’, with limited response to treatments, can often present with severe and changing symptoms during the final stage of life.2 Sleep disturbance is one such …