Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Multi-Modal Home Sleep Monitoring in Older Adults
Published on: January 26, 2019
Observational study of sleep disturbances in advanced cancer
Andrew Neil Davies1, Shuchita D Patel1, Amanda Gregory2
1Supportive and Palliative Care, Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, UK.
Objectives:
To determine the prevalence of nightmares, sleep terrors and vivid dreams in patients with advanced cancer (and the factors associated with them in this group of patients).
Methods:
The study was a multicentre, prospective observational study. Participants were patients with locally advanced/metastatic cancer, who were under the care of a specialist palliative care team. Data were collected on demographics, cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment, current medication, performance status, sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), dreams and nightmares, and physical and psychological symptoms (Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form).
Results:
174 patients completed the study. Sleep quality was poor in 70.5% participants and was worse in younger patients and in inpatients (hospital, hospice). 18% of patients reported nightmares, 8% sleep terrors and 34% vivid dreams. Nightmares were associated with poor sleep quality and greater sleep disturbance; nightmares were also associated with greater physical and psychological burden. Nightmares (and vivid dreams) were not associated with the use of opioid analgesics.
Conclusions:
Nightmares do not seem to be especially common in patients with advanced cancer, and when they do occur, there is often an association with sleep disturbance, and/or physical and psychological burden.
More Related Videos
04:33Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
06:23A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice
Published on: September 22, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Observational Studies
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
Naturalistic Observations
Insomnia
Multiple factors contribute...
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
RBD is significantly associated with...
Blind Procedures