Sometimes it can be hard to know whether your sleep problems are part of the condition or whether they are a side effect of your Parkinson’s medication. It’s important to talk to your healthcare professionals to find out the cause of these problems.
Tips for improved sleep:
- Exposure to natural light early in the morning and in the afternoon
- Exercise in the morning/early afternoon (exercise is good for muscle tone, tiring you to sleep at night, good for cognition)
- Exposure to twilight
- Dim the lights in the evening
- No heavy meals/alcohol right before bedtime
- No stimulants (coffee) in late afternoon/evening
- Dark room, Quiet room, Cool room, Comfortable bed
- No blue light/screens before bed, no television in bedroom
- Reduce liquid/fluid intake before bedtime, reduce need for trips to toilet
- If required, put a commode near bed to prevent falls
Possible sleep improvements:
- Cognitive therapy
- Exercise
- Meditation
- Light therapy
- Talk to GP about sleep symptoms
- In the future Chronobiology may be part of the treatment.
