Hi like many PD sufferers i suffer with insomnia. I sleep about 4 hrs per day but not everyday. Some days I don’t sleep at all. I amaze myself with the utter rubbish I end up watching on T.V at 1.30 in the morning. What makes it worse is that i recorded it in the first place. The clock seems to slow down as I wait for the first signs of daylight. I live in a small one bedroom apartment so I have to creep around so I don’t wake my wife up. What do you do for six hours without making a noise?. I can only read so much. My concentration is pants so I can’t even watch a film. I normally end up on my computer looking at stuff I have no intention of buying. By the time my wife gets up I have drunk at least five cups of decaf coffee and eaten a packet of mints. I don’t think my teeth can hold out much longer with all the sugar I am sucking. Anyone have any tips for sleeping more than a few hours per night? What do you all find to do in the early hours of the morning? The biggest problem is that by the time it gets to early afternoon I am so tired I end up falling asleep suddenly. Yesterday I was holding a cup of black coffee. I am going to have to invest in asbestos underpants at this rate. Oh well it’s 5.15 and I am on coffee number four, I have been up 4 hrs. It’s exhausting this PD.
I usually try to get back to sleep, usually fail. I go on a free app and be a Viking for a couple of hours, get to socialise with other players without making a sound,
This may not help, but here goes. Like you I can manage on 4 hours and it doesn’t bother me but it irritates the wife, because I can nod off mid conversation during the day. I think it helps if you are retired and don’t want or need a job. So you don’t have to get up for anything unless you want to. It also helps if you have your own bedroom, in other words your own space. It helps if you like the things you watch on the tele, some of it’s good, especially if the tele’s smart…
It helps if you can take the view that at least you live that bit longer if you are up and about when others are not and you can cope. It helps if you can train yourself to keep you hands off the biscuits.
I am just coming out of a long period of short nights and long days. I used to have on average one night a week not going to bed at all. Then a couple or three half nighters per week.
So I think I have been where you are coming from and I. hope you get it sorted out.
Just had an afterthought and I am not being deliberately facetious here but maybe I am. Have you thought of the Open University?
Nice talking to you, Jeffino. Good night/day
Westriding.
Good morning,
my problem is that I’m not tired. Wide awake at this unearthly hour.I dont nap during the day either. I’ve logged here to see if anyone had any suggestions! Keep wondering how long my body can cope with the constant lack of sleep.When I do manage to sleep it’s only 3/4 hours.
I used to love my sleep
At the Parkinson’s Florence Pite lecture they talked about an App that has been tested by people with Parkinson’s as being a helpful Sleep inducing App. It is called Pzizz and is easy to use and works really well!
Hope it works for you…
ref. Bed good or bad?
I was diagnosed with PD over 9 years ago. And I have found techniques to get to sleep. My last resort is self hypnosis plugging in to a CD designed by Paul McKenna, whilst in bed. But on a daily basis I plug myself into the radio. Which works a treat. But there is always a but. As about every 2 hours or so my bladder wakes me up. I then have little difficulty in getting back to sleep. One last point, it also help if you have been physically active during the day. Walk For example take at brisk 1 or 2miles a day…
To improve my balance and reduce pain when I get up, I take my madopar and paracetamol, an hour before getting up. My vibra lite watch wakes me up to medicate.
Hi. Sorry to hear you are having trouble sleeping. My dad has PD and has the same problem. He only sleeps for about 4 hours each night but nods off on the sofa in the afternoon.
Have you tried audio books? Amazon have an app called Audible and there is a huge selection. You can lay in bed and listen with earphones in which might help you drop off to sleep. Just an idea. Mary
Hi Jeffino, yes, lack of sleep makes all symptoms feel worse. My P.Nurse suggested I try Nytol tablets. 2x 25mg half hour before bedtime. I had the best nights sleep in years. Unfortunately you can only use them occasionally or they stop working so keep for emergencies. Also, after trying every herbal tea with no success I’ve just come across one that works. Yorkshire Tea Bedtime Brew. Leave bag in cup for at least 5 mins. I add milk to mine. I also attend a Parkinson’s UK Pilates class each week, giving me exercise and strengthening my core while meeting other Parkinson’s sufferers both male & female. Hope this helps a little.
My Parkinson’s nurse has just prescribed me 100mg Madopar, slow release (12 hour coverage) to be taken 30 minutes before bed time for insomnia.
I used to sleep for 4 hours per night but now average 6.5 hours. I had to work at and be very disciplined. My lifestyle changes were: 1. Rise very early and walk briskly or spend 1 hour at the gym after meds but before breakfast. 2. Never drink coffee. It’s a stimulant. 3. Allow yourself a short nap after breakfast. 3. Make yourself into your personal improvement project and try to make small improvements to your lifestyle every week.4. Buy a Fitbit. It’s amazing what it can tell you about your state of health and is extremely otivating. Look at your sleep patterns, resting heart rate and weekly record of activity. You will learn a lot from it 5. If you can’t get to sleep read an absorbing book for no more than 1 hour and try again. 6. Don’t look at computer or TV within 1 hour of going to bed, or during the night. 7. Keep your bed warm but your bedroom cool and well ventilated. 8… work at it! John B
I would suggest cutting out sugar and refined carbs from your diet - it messes with your metabolism badly. I also take a supplement. L-theanine (extract from green tea) at bedtime. I used to get 6-7 hours but now get 8-9 hours most nights and sleep like a log.
I have an IPod and I listen to lots of ‘sleep’ music. I go to bed about 9.30, put that on ( it usually lasts all night provided I charge it). Used to have terrible insomnia but now I find that although I sleep till about 2.30, it’s 5 hours of quality sleep , go to the bathroom then put it on again and I’m away for at least another couple of hours, but not so deep. I get up a 5am most days and find I go through the day till teatime, when I might have a 20 minute power nap. I’m on Madopar to help with movement . I try not to look at my gadgets after9pm! Don’t drink so much coffee! My last drink,usually tea is at 7pm with only water after that.
Hope this helps.
Hi jeffino
If you don’t want to use meds or CBD oil try a podcast available on your phone or Spotify . It’s called sleep with me (I know don’t laugh) it’s by a Canadian bloke called dearest scooter.
Basically he tells you a story in dulcet tones and goes off in all sorts of tangents and never seems to get to the point .
It can take a few tries but he calls himself your bore buddy and he’s not wrong.
Your mind gets so bored in the dark sometimes you’ll be asleep before the end of the intro . Worth a try & free .
Tommy 