There are so many reasons why sleep can be a major problem for those of us living with Parkinson’s. I can’t remember a night in the past few years when I haven’t been awake at 3am. Counting sheep doesn’t help, so last night I tried counting the reasons why people with Parkinson’s typically don’t sleep well. It didn’t help me sleep but it did help pass an hour or so which can only be a good thing. Here’s what I came up with…………

1. Restless Legs

Restless leg syndrome, common in Parkinson’s causes an uncontrollable urge to move our legs, usually because of an uncomfortable sensation. Moving eases the discomfort for a short while but leads to very restless nights.

2. Muscle Cramps

The cramps in our legs present suddenly and can be incredibly painful.

3. Vivid Dreams / Nightmares

The sleep that we have is haunted by vivid dreams. Some of us act out our dreams which can be dangerous for us and our bed partners.

4. Dystonia

Wonky signals from our slightly wonky brains cause contractions in our muscles. At best it is uncomfortable but for many of us it can be very painful.  

5. Rigidity

6. Tremor

Try sleeping while your jaw / arm(s) / hand(s) / leg(s) won’t stop moving!

7. Nocturia

We need to get up to wee more often than most, sometimes accompanied with a degree of urgency. At the time that our medications are at their least effective and moving anywhere quickly is simply not possible!

8. Sleep Apnoea

Periods where we don’t breath. Often accompanied by choking / snoring noises.

9. Temperature Control

Poor temperature control goes hand in hand with Parkinson’s. Too hot, too cold, sweating, shivering but rarely ‘just right’.

10. Medication

It’s a balancing act that can be hard to get right overnight, when medication often wears off.

Too much = Abnormal movements keep us awake.

Too little = Stiff, sore, slow to move and wide awake.

11. The Mind

Anxiety, depression, apathy are common symptoms of Parkinson’s which can also affect sleep.

12. Life

Of course, life carries on regardless, so we are disturbed by things other than our Parkinson’s symptoms. Late night revellers, dogs barking, emergency service vehicle sirens, a partner’s snoring, the phone ringing, the usual aches and pains of getting older that seem worse in the still of the night. Oh and did I mention the menopause?! Finally, just in case we hadn’t had enough interruptions, and despite being 60 miles from the coast, as summer approaches, the seagulls nesting on our roof start squawking each morning from 4am.

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It is nothing short of a miracle that we get any sleep at all.

And of course……tonight we all lose a hour’s sleep as the clocks go forward.

PS Mum, don’t worry. I get just about enough sleep to just about function during the day and look how productive the ‘wee, small hours’ can be!

Signing Off at 04.30am

Images Source: ClipArt Library