How to Deal With Sleep Problems in Patients with CKD?

Among people with chronic kidney disease, the prevalence of sleep disturbances has been estimated to be as high 80%. These sleep concerns take a variety of forms, are attributable to many causes, and can take a serious toll on patients’ health and quality of life.

Restless legs syndrome

It is characterized by an urge to move the legs that is often hard to resist. Patients keep awake by always moving their legs. Low PTH level and anemia can be the causes of restless legs.

What’s more, there are also some simple methods to help you improve sleep quality.
·Take a warm bath.
·Do some exercises, which lets you feel tired and fall asleep faster.
·Choose a comfortable sleep environment.
·Drink a cup of warm milk.

Frequent urination at night

In this advanced stage of kidney disease, the damaged kidney can’t filter the wastes in daytime, so the “blood-cleaners” have to work harder in the night. In this condition, frequent urination at night will occur, which affects their sleep quality to a large extent.

Itchy skin

In kidney failure, many toxins accumulate in patients’ body. Some of them can be excreted through their skin and crystallize on skin, which induces itchy skin. Itchy skin annoys patients a lot in night.

In this condition, patients should pay attention to their personal hygiene. Taking a warm bath cleans the toxins on skin. Avoid foods causing toxins accumulation, like foods high in phosphorus.

Emotions

Patient may feel anxious and helpless about their disease, when they are alone in the night. The emotion makes them more anxious and can’t fall asleep. Patient should talk to their doctor to know their condition better and take active measure to control their disease.


Patients could also solve their sleep problems by changing daily behaviors, so they should pay more attention to their lifestyles. Only in this way can they have a happy life.