Two symptoms keeping you up at night could be warning signs of a deadly disease. If you regularly experience these unexplained issues, they could signal cancer.

If you’ve been losing sleep due to persistent symptoms, it might be time to pay attention, as these disturbances could be early indicators of a serious illness. Regular bouts of insomnia and night sweats, while often benign, may also point to cancer.

According to Cancer Research UK, these symptoms can sometimes be associated with cancer, though they are more commonly linked to other, less severe conditions. It’s crucial to remember that many people experience these issues without it being cancer-related.

However, if you begin to experience sudden or unusual insomnia or night sweats, it’s wise to consult a healthcare professional.

The organization advises: “Stay attuned to your body and consult your doctor if you notice anything out of the ordinary for you. With the plethora of potential cancer signs and symptoms, it’s unrealistic to remember them all.

However, the charity urges people to seek advice if they have “very heavy, drenching night sweats”, or an unexplained fever. It says: “Sweating at night or having a high temperature (fever) can be caused by infections or a side effect of certain medications.

It’s quite normal to experience a little sweating at night, which can simply be a result of the room’s temperature or sharing a bed with someone.

“It’s also often experienced by women around the time of the menopause. But speak to your doctor if you have very heavy, drenching night sweats, or an unexplained fever.”

Certain cancers, such as lymphoma, can themselves cause sweating. It can also be a side effect of medications or infections.

The NHS also warns of heavy sweats as a potential cancer symptom. It describes this as: “Sweating a lot (particularly at night) or a high temperature that lasts a long time or keeps coming back.”

Insomnia

Insomnia, or difficulty sleeping, is when you have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep at night, and waking up too early in the morning. The NHS says that one in three of us will experience problems with sleeping at least once in our lives.

This can be due to a myriad of reasons such as stress, anxiety, illness or injury. And Cancer Research UK lists it as a potential symptom of cancer.

The insomnia could be a result of other symptoms of the cancer such as pain or sickness, the charity explains. But it can also be one of the side effects of treatment or brought on by worry, anxiety or depression following a diagnosis.

Cancer Research UK says: “Most people will experience insomnia at some point during their lives. It can be due to lots of different reasons.”

According to the charity, some things that can cause insomnia when you have cancer include:

• Symptoms caused by the cancer (such as pain or sickness)
• Side effects of treatment
• Worry, anxiety or depression
  

“If you often have insomnia, it can interfere with everyday life,” it says. “You may feel very tired, and have low energy. You might also have poor concentration, and irritability, and may feel you cannot cope.”

Other general symptoms of cancer, as listed by Cancer Research UK, include:

• Fatigue
• Unexplained bleeding or bruising
• Unexplained pain or ache
• Unexplained weight loss
• An unusual lump or swelling anywhere

If you experience any unexplained symptoms, you should speak to your GP.