Sleep and Parkinson's

Most people with Parkinson’s disease have trouble in getting a good night’s sleep and this can affect you at any stage of the condition. This can be compounded by Parkinson’s medications, which can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, impacting on the quality of sleep at night - which is already impacted by the disease.

There are several causes for this poor nighttime sleep, and we will briefly discuss these in this blog. Ultimately, it is well known that prolonged lack of quality sleep can impact on our mental and physical health but when combined with the symptoms of Parkinson’s, this can be even more debilitating.

Can Insomnia be caused by Parkinson’s?

Those living with the disease can often initially fall asleep but wake up frequently due to symptoms of the disease. These can include tremors, restless leg syndrome or nocturia (having to go to the bathroom frequently at night), vivid dreams (usually as the result of certain types of Parkinson’s medication) and difficulty with getting comfortable because it’s hard to turn over in bed.

What can cause daytime sleepiness in Parkinson’s?

In addition to those symptoms mentioned above, sleep disorders will also lead to disrupted sleep at night and exacerbate your daytime sleepiness. For example, sleep apnoea, whereby the person stops breathing for short periods of time during the night, resulting in gasping, loud snoring and then waking up. You may not even be conscious of waking up, but your sleep pattern has been disrupted.

Another contributing sleep disorder is REM sleep behaviour disorder. The REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep is when dreams take place, and normally, during this stage, our brain sends signals to prevent us from moving around and inadvertently hurting ourselves or our partner. However, those with REM sleep disorder act out their dreams and this can be unintentionally violent, leading to waking up.

Some Parkinson’s medications can also lead to daytime sleepiness. Talk to your doctor to see if any adjustments to your medication might be possible.

What is an inverted sleep cycle?

This is when excessive napping during the day can make it harder to sleep at night. This has an impact on your body clock and your ability to sleep at night, leading to longer periods of daytime napping…and so on.

What can I do during the day to improve my sleep at night?

Here are a few daytime tips for better sleep:

• Wake up at the same time every day – and use an alarm if necessary. Try to get out of bed as soon as possible after you wake up.
• Three to four small meals a day is better than 1 – 2 large meals. Large meals, especially late in the evening, can lead to problems with digestion, sleep and metabolism.
• Limit daytime napping if you can, to once a day and, ideally, for no more than between 20 - 40 minutes, using an alarm if necessary.
• Avoid coffee, tea, soft drinks with caffeine and cocoa after noon.
• Avoid alcohol 4 – 6 hours before bedtime and try to eat earlier rather than late. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it disrupts the sleep cycles, making them shallower. It can also make sleep apnoea worse.
• Check any mediation you are using for headaches or colds – some of these contain stimulants that may affect your sleep.
• Stop smoking/vaping. Nicotine is a stimulant and speeds up the body’s function, including heart rate and blood pressure.
• Increase or start doing daily exercise as this helps to deepen sleep. It doesn’t have to be heavy exercise - yoga, Pilates or aqua-aerobics (whereby your body is supported by water) all help and are good for stretching muscles and balance. However, try and avoid doing this too close to bedtime.

Nighttime tips for improving your sleep

Your nighttime habits are not the only factor in this – your bedding and bedroom environment is also important.

• Use 100% natural bedding and bedlinen which will help with temperature regulation. Wool is wonderful for this, naturally breathable, temperature regulating and dust mite resistant. The addition of a 100% wool mattress topper will help to add a softer layer to your mattress, making you feel more comfortable.  

  To help improve your sleep patterns, you can explore our wool mattress toppers here with the full range from Devon Duvets, all are made from 100% British wool.

• Learn to distinguish between ‘fatigue’ and ‘sleepiness’ – and get into bed when you are feeling sleepy.
• If you need to snack just before bedtime, drink a glass of milk. Avoid sugary or spicy foods, as well as anything that contains caffeine.
• If you are struggling with giving up smoking or vaping, try not to smoke around bedtime or if you wake up at night. As mentioned in the section above, nicotine is a stimulant.
• Develop a sleep ritual by doing something relaxing before bed, such as reading or listening to music.
• Switch off the TV and stop scrolling your device at least 45 minutes – 1 hour before bedtime. The blue light emitted from these can impact on production of melatonin (the sleep hormone that helps you go to sleep).  If you can, avoid having a TV in your bedroom.
• Create a cosy and sleep-inducing bedtime environment by using low lighting and adjusting the bedroom temperature. Research has shown that the best bedroom temperature for sleep is between 16°C and 18°C. If you feel too hot or too could then a wool or alpaca duvet can help with temperature regulation. Do get in touch with our team if you would like advice about wool duvets and tog equivalencies.
• A warm shower or bath an hour before bedtime, can help you fall asleep. This will warm your body and then as you cool down, this will help trigger melatonin production and make you feel sleepy.
• Don’t try and force sleep. If you can’t fall asleep, try reading a book. It is better to have a physical book for this, unless you have a Kindle that does not emit blue light.
• Keep your bedroom calm by reducing clutter and try using an air parfum or candle, with 100% natural essential oils, to create a relaxing environment before bedtime. Check out the Cherish Nature range, which you can find on our website and offers 100% natural options.
• Block out as much noise as possible – some people find that ‘white noise’, such as the gentle hum of a fan, can help cover up noise and help you fall asleep.

For more information about our luxurious, award-winning, 100% natural bedding visit our website or contact our team – they’ll be happy to discuss your requirements. Whatever you choose, it will be individually handcrafted for you by our seamstresses in our Devon workshops.

Ref: Parkinson’s Foundation, Parkinson’s UK 

Disclaimer:  This blog is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. While we've drawn on reputable sources, we are not medical professionals. If you are experiencing persistant sleep problems of have concerns about your health, please consult a qualified healthcare provider.