If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, chances are you are facing a flood of new emotions and fears about the outcome. Depending on the stage of your cancer and the treatment your oncologist recommends, you could become emotionally overwhelmed before treatment begins. The truth is, many people experience minimal discomfort during chemotherapy, and are even able to continue with work and family activities. Even if you are prone to “chemotherapy sickness” anxiety may still be your worst enemy.

Emotional turmoil, anxiety and stress can add to your physical discomfort and prolong your recovery, so it is important to relax as much as possible before treatment begins. If you plan to buy a chemotherapy hat or cancer wig, get it done early and don’t tire yourself out with worry. Let your friends and loved ones take care of you instead of trying to prepare for everything your family will need for the next few months.

Sleep disorders are a natural side effect to anxiety, and it is a common problem for cancer patients. Even if you’ve never had a problem sleeping before, now you may find yourself staying up all night, thoughts racing through your head. So what do you do to get the restful sleep you need? Several non-toxic homeopathic sleep aids and herbal supplements can help relieve insomnia. Consider herbal sleep aids like Valerian, Passionflower, Kaya and Skullcap, following the recommended dosage. Nutrient-rich supplements like 5-Hydroxytryptophan, Magnesium Citrate and Flax Seed Oil can also help.

Before you know it, the treatments will be complete and you’ll be ready to go back to your normal activities. As you start to feel better, you may actually look forward to doing routine tasks like running errands or grocery shopping, but don’t overdo it. While it may be tempting to get out of the house and wear one of your chemotherapy cancer hats, wigs or scarves, it is important to take care of yourself before, during and after chemotherapy treatment.