Hi Jeanine.
I’ve tried all sorts 
. I was achieving around 6 hrs until a couple of days ago. I’m loaded with a heavy cold now which has had me awake at 1.15am this morning. Such is life. I’m not going to worry over it. It’s just an inconvenience. 
Cheers
Hi Caz.
I was given Melatonin by my GP last week. First night was ok. The next two nights was a disaster 
. I’ll try again once I shift this ‘man flu’.
Cheers
Hi dusty, I’m 78 and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 8 years ago. I have been prescribed 6mg of melatonin which has helped greatly. I still wake up every 2/3 hours but get back to sleep within 1/3 minutes. I get dreams every night which can be nightmares but mostly they’re okay. I wake up in the morning aching all over but that is usually gone within 15 minutes. Melatonin doesn’t act as a sleeping tablet but just helps the body feel sleepy. I still get one night out of 10 with no sleep at all which means the next day is a write off! I think Melatonin is only available to people with Parkinson’s and other forms of neurological disorders and was prescribed by my Parkinson’s nurse. Try it. John
Hi John
Good to hear the melatonin is helping you. I was prescribed 2mg. Out of the first 3 nights of taking it, I got one fairly decent night. I’m going to give it another go and hope it works.
Cheers
John. Does it make you drowsy the following day? I feel drowsy just from 2mg. I’m in 2 minds whether to try 2 tabs tonight. Either that or a couple of stiff whiskies
Cheers
No not all. You need to take them 30 minutes before going to bed and take them at the same time every night
If you’re not working then it’s not a problem! Try to persevere with them-you’ve got nothing to lose.
Cheers
John
I forgot to mention that I listen to. Sleep Sounds when I get into bed-it lasts all night!
I also take a slow release tablet at night-it means i can turn over in bed.
Cheers
John
Hi don’t know if any of this will help but I’m zopiclone & small dose Diazipan and I’ll take my last pd drugs at 8pm, go to bed 10.30pm so my pd drugs are wearing of as they have 4 hr window half an hour to switch on and half an hour wearing off.And take my opicaphone, but i use to take Sinemet cr control release.
Very true John. I’ll give it a try. Last night I was lights out by 11pm having read a while. Again, asleep within minutes. Awake around 4.15am. 5 hrs ish again. I’ve been up since then (7am) and feel not too tired to be honest so quality of sleep I do get I assume must be fairly good.
However, I’ll increase the melatonin and see if it helps me.
Have a good day John.
Cheers
Hi Gus. Any advice may help, if not me, maybe others. 
I discussed zopiclone with my GP but he’s reluctant to prescribe it as it is designed to get you asleep but doesn’t make you stay asleep.
Part of my problem is when I wake, I get restless especially in the legs, the dreaded Restless Leg Syndrome. Reading up on that, I’m trying different things to try combat it. I do wonder whether it’s that, that is waking me after 5 hrs. A chat with PD nurse I think.
Cheers
I go to bed around 11.30 most nights but usually wake up around 5.30/6. I have to get up because my whole body aches.
I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 6 years ago.
I sometimes doze while watching tv in the evening. My partner says if I stopped myself dozing I would sleep longer at night. He says I should get up and walk around and then I would sleep longer. Easier said than done.
Hello Margs1
He might be right but unfortunately Parkinson’s is not known for following logic so I wouldn’t be surprised if it made no difference at all. Sleep issues are common in Parkinsons. Ir’s been easier for me since I stopped working and find I no longer worry about it - I’m awake when I am awake whatever the hour and sleep as it happens. So long as I can still do what I need to do and be where I need to be I just go with the flow.
As an aside we often blame Parkinson’s for everything - and let’s be honest that usually has something to do with whatever is going on - but it is known that as we get older many people do not sleep for so long at night but may cat nap (or power nap if you prefer) during the day Just something to bear in mind when next awake at silly o’clock in the morning.
Tot
How is it going? Are you taking melatonin? Is it working?
Cheers
John
Hi John. Things are about the same really. Increased the melatonin but I’m still awake at 3 to 4 am. I suppose one bonus is, it keeps me sleepy enough for me to catch an hour or so after my first meds around 8am.
It makes me a bit groggy all day tho. I shouldn’t complain really, on average I’m getting 5-6 hrs sleep per 24hrs, more than some.
Cheers.
5/6 hours is okayish. Are you taking 4/6mg a night? I’m taking 6mg a night and I still get nights when I don’t get to sleep until 4 or 5am and I can’t sleep in the morning so my day is a write off!
Anyway I’m pleased that you’re getting some sleep and yes, you’re right it’s better than a lot of people.
Cheers
John
I’m taking 4mg John. So I went back to bed around 07.45 earlier and woke around 10am. I feel good. Near enough 7-8 hrs the past 24hrs. I tried the ‘deep sleep’ tunes on YouTube. They help too, volume very low but enough to hear it.
Cheers
UPDATE. @hugh
So my sleep wasn’t improving. I felt worse during the day from the Melatonin. I saw my PD nurse last week and we discussed at length. So she doubled my overnight slow release Co-Careldopa to 2 x 25/100mg. This has improved my sleep considerably! I’m keeping a sleep diary. I’m now achieving 6 to over 7 hours sleep per night, last night nearly 7 1/2. Sure, I awaken a couple of times but I’m now able to roll over and fall asleep again. I had one ‘bad’ night but I know the reason for that and corrected it.
During the day, I now feel a lot better. I have more energy to the point I’ve managed a workout at the gym 3 times this week! I have the occasional Power Nap but that is not a bad thing. Long may this last!
If you struggle with night time sleep, it may be worth a chat with your PD medical team about overnight meds.
Cheers
That’s great news! I take one slow release when I go to bed and another about 2 am when I go for a wee! I’m getting 7 hours a night and certainly feel better. I.go to the gym 4/5 times a week and that makes me feel much better.
Cheers
John
Hi John. I think overnight slow release at the correct dose is the answer for some of us at least. Great news indeed! I was awake at 5.30am today but went to bed at 10.15pm last night. Don’t think I moved for 7hrs!!!
I’ve been up for half an hour and feel ‘80% on’. Take my first meds at 8am. Long may this last 
Cheers
Thanks for that info Dusty I was asked to keep a sleep/non motor symptoms, and when they occurred diary and notice that it was usually late afternoon /evening or at night after about 2am. I also noticed more issues around the end of the week weekend. This seems fairly typical of when most peoples body clock make them feel tired and weary, so could be taking a extra half pill in afternoon or slow release at night could help resolve these types of issues. I assume that PD problems are more evident when we are not at peak alertness like in the afternoon/evening /night?
regards
