Ashley Armstrong was beginning to feel rooted in the world — until she was diagnosed with breast cancer and her life was turned upside down. She had just moved across the country, started a new job and moved in with a new partner when she got the news that would change her life. Now an avid yogi, social media influencer and mom of three, Ashley is on an endless pursuit to regain structure. She has fought her way through this daunting diagnosis with "intentional living," "radical self-care" and plenty of yoga practice.
To openly cope with her new challenge and offer a voice of resiliency, she started a blog — Breast Cancer Yogi. This offered a resting place for her thoughts and created a way for people to feel less alone in their own battles. "When cancer turned my world upside down, I learned to stand on my head," she said. More than one year out from breast cancer treatments, Ashley shares her advice to inspire women with breast cancer to discover chronic wellness. In one blog post, she tackles the common problem of night sweats that develop as a side effect of menopause and the use of Tamoxifen, the oldest and most-prescribed breast cancer medication.
Her discovery: The perfect cure to tossing and turning, running hot and losing sleep every night is a SHEEX Original Performance sheet set.
Effects of Sleep Loss
Anyone battling cancer or other serious medical conditions knows that getting a consistent amount of sleep every night is essential for good health and healing. On Ashley's blog, she discusses the many health issues that occur when cancer patients do not get adequate sleep, including:
- Increased difficulty regulating cortisol (the stress hormone) and melatonin
- Impaired cognitive function and lowered concentration
- Increased appetite and slowed metabolism
- Increased irritability and risk for anxiety and depression
- Greater risk for high blood pressure and heart problems
After spending her nights sweating and waking up constantly, Ashley was understandably concerned about her lack of sleep.
An AC unit in the window and a fan were not enough to facilitate a peaceful night of slumber: "As humans, we are intended to spend about a third of our lives asleep, and with good reason. Our bodies need sleep to heal, and if your body is anything like mine, it needs all the healing it can get. So it adds insult to injury to note that we cancer patients report insomnia up to three times more often than the rest of the population. If you're missing out on sleep, your body is missing out on a lot of good stuff, from immunity to metabolism."
Sleeping Soundly with SHEEX
When Ashley and her boyfriend switched to the moisture-wicking fabric of our Original Performance fabric sheets, she said she immediately noticed a shift in sleep quality. After noting how ridiculously soft the sheets were, the couple snuggled into bed. Not long after, she reported that she did not sweat at all. In fact, she slept continuously for 11 hours! A high percentage of the world's population is affected by health conditions such as cancer, with side effects that can make it nearly impossible to get a good night's rest. SHEEX performance bedding is the perfect gift for anyone in your life who is dealing with chronic exhaustion, night sweats and the various side effects of medical treatments.
Our luxury sheets with performance fabric provide a needed reprieve from sweaty, restless nights with superior ventilation and a cool-to-the-touch feel. We are incredibly grateful for the shoutout Ashley gave us on her blog and wish her the best as she fights her battle against breast cancer. We hope that our thermoregulating and supremely comfortable sheets continue to provide her — and everyone suffering from continuous sleep issues - a deeper, more restorative slumber.
If you are feeling the effects of menopause or experience other problems that keep you running hot at night, transform your sleep with a set of our ultra-soft and cool SHEEX performance sheets. It helped Ashley, and it just might help you, too! It's always important to check up on your health, especially if you're noticing common cancer symptoms. According to Cancer Resource Center of The Finger Lakes, "approximately 70,000 young adults aged 15 to 39 are diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. every year." For this age group alone, it is the 4th leading cause of death.
In honor of National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week (April 1-7, 2019), we're suggesting routine checkups and to be mindful of the risk factors and causes of cancer in young adults. For National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week, put the power, strength and knowledge behind your health. For more information on risk factors, how to cope with a loved one that's been diagnosed with cancer and resources for treatment, head to American Cancer Society or National Cancer Institute.
