Is Parkinson’s disease preventing you from sleeping or Having trouble sleeping with Parkinson's

A night of good sleep is what we all want but for people with Parkinson’s, sleep becomes more crucial, since the body needs more time to recover and repair itself. Your health, mood, and overall quality of life can all be impacted by sleep disruption. Parkinson’s and sleep both are interrelated and comprise all sleep-related disorders. Most Parkinson's patients often have sleep issues and it is found that 2 out of 3 people with Parkinson’s have this problem. Parkinson’s (PD) is a neurological disorder which damages nerve cells and gets worse as time passes. Parkinson’s mostly cause motor symptoms like problems in balancing, stiff muscles etc. But there are non-motor symptoms like sleep problems, change of smell or vision etc. And it is found that sleep disorder is an early sign of Parkinson’s.

Causes –

 Since the proper connection between Parkinson’s and sleep is unclear but researchers found some causes which are listed below –

• Disturbance in the sleep cycle by the central nervous system due to some chemicals.
• Chemical changes in the brain due to certain medications make it harder to fall asleep.
• Mental health problems like anxiety or depression may cause you to wake up at night.
• Pain or other symptoms of Parkinson’s can make it harder to fall asleep.

The most common sleep problems with Parkinson’s are-

• Insomnia- It is characterized by the patient having difficulty falling asleep or waking up early in the morning. It is found that 27 to 80% of PD patients are affected.
• Fragmented sleep- Waking up many times at midnight.
• Circadian rhythm sleep disorders- It is marked by either trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, or waking up too early and having trouble going back to sleep.
• Sleep apnea- In this condition patient stops breathing while sleeping.
• Nocturia-In this patient frequently wakes up at night to pee. And it has been seen nocturia affects 35% of patients.  
• Restless legs syndrome-In this people have the urge to move their legs in response to unpleasant and uncomfortable sensations in the legs. It mostly affects 15% of Parkinson’s patients. 
• REM(Rapid eye movement )Sleep behaviour disorder- Nightmares and unpleasant dreams can cause restlessness and awakening of the patient. It affects approx. 17 % of PD patients.

Different ways to have good sleep with Parkinson’s-

Some ways by which PD patients can have a good sleep is by following healthy habits.

• Some medicine should be changed- Switching the medicine or reducing the dose may help you to solve sleep problems
• Avoid caffeine product like coffee, Chocolate etc. before going to bed-Caffeine quickly and easily absorbed in our body and brain which affects our nervous system and keep us awake. 
• Avoid drinking alcohol- Alcohol can aid in sleep, but the withdrawal symptoms might cause restlessness and night-time awakenings.
• Try not to smoke before bedtime-though smoke may make us feel relaxed but like caffeine, it affects our sleep cycle.
• Make your body and mind relaxed.
• Avoid vigorous exercise- Intense workouts affect our activity 
• Keep your bedroom calm and comfortable-Try to sleep in a noise-free and darker bedroom.
• Try to keep a regular sleep routine-Try to sleep at your regular time and get up at the same time.

Several people face this issue but they do not talk about it with their doctors. Discuss the matter in detail with your healthcare provider if you are experiencing trouble while sleeping. To better understand your symptoms, your doctor will ask you some questions or study your sleep by attaching electrodes to your skin to track your body function while sleeping. Together, you can come up with a strategy that addresses both your sleep issues and any other problems that Parkinson's disease may bring to your life.