With fatigue commonly reported as one of the more difficult symptoms of CLL to manage, achieving adequate sleep is a challenge for many of us. While not CLL specific, this article by Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide looks at the influence of caffeine on our sleep (and not just from coffee).
Too long to read? Just skip down to 'What is the bottom line then?'
CLL has/does make me feel incredibly fatigued. I do find that espresso does not give me the kick start it has in the past. That being said, I continue to have 2 shots in the morning and another 2 at lunch.
I won't use anymore than that due to the acidity and I am trying to keep things alkaline as much as possible.
Ok Aussie, thank you so much for responding. I'm trying to do the best I can without drugs and this was one component I was using, in fact was mentioned by a nutritionist I was seeing.
I've got it down to one cup of coffee in the morning. That's it. (Okay, it's the size of a cereal bowl with a handle, but it still qualifies as one cup!)
Typically, the Daily Mail published research recently saying coffee helps you live longer. They have, like many others, also printed many reports warning against coffee. I tend to suspect the latest reports are iffy & I wonder whether the answers would be different if applied to people with CLL etc
Bottom line advice suggests not eating or drinking for 3 hours before bedtime - trouble is that I can't go to bed hungry because hunger keeps me awake.
(I hasten to add that I feel slightly ashamed to talk about being hungry after 3 or 4 hours when many go days without food)
In related news, UniSA researchers Dr Siobhan Banks and Dr Chris Della Vedova from the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, have been investigating the impact of night-time caffeine consumption during 50 hour periods of being awake.
Their study looks at the best times to give caffeine to battle tiredness.
While caffeine reduced subjective sleepiness and performance on the first sleep-deprived night, caffeine administration on the second night did not improve how tired subjects actually felt.
“These results demonstrate that while caffeine may be protective against performance impairment, it is less protective in regards to feelings of sleepiness and fatigue,” Dr Banks says.
I somehow doubt that translates to helping us with battle fatigue against CLL...
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