I have thrown myself out of bed 5 times in this last year. If I’m lucky I just get the odd bruise on my arms, legs and torso. If unlucky, I get a black eye or facial bruising. I’ve banged my head so badly once that I was confused for a while. On these occasions I’ve been dreaming; running or being attacked by someone and in the dream I dodge and at this point dive out of the bed. I remember the dreams so vividly. The only thing I can find online that mentions this strange sleep behaviour is Parkinsons. Does anyone with PD else have this as a symptom??
Hello Minuette … I have Atypical Parkinson’s & now have incredibly real vivid dreams, both pleasant enough & nightmares. I used to be a light sleeper where I would wake in the morning & my bed looked like I had just made it. Not a crease in the bed sheets. Now my very heavy duvet often ends up on the floor.
I put this down to my Parkinson’s medication / other medication or Parkinson’s itself
or a combination.
Something we have to live with I’m afraid.
You might consider buying a bed with [child] rails to keep you in bed or put something soft on the floor.
Best of luck
Steve2
Hi Minuette,
Steve2 is correct if you have Parkinsons, however that is a big if.
There are a number of other symptoms that could cause that.
Please go and see, preferably a neurologist.
This really does not seem like something you should not attend to immediately.
Hi. One of my PD symptoms is exactly as you describe. It is a known symptom of PD called REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder. Basically, the body does not go into the type of paralysis that it should do and you physically act out your dreams. I take a drug called clonazepam at bedtime to stop me thrashing around. Getting your GP to refer you to a Neurologist would seem appropriate.
Thanks everyone! You’re correct, Clive, it probably isn’t Parkinsons. I came here because my mother and four of my aunts had PD and it’s always uppermost in my mind. I agree, Douglas, it’s probably time to see my GP and get referred to someone. I have a tremor in one hand, am so stiff and have memory problems. In the meantime, Steve, I bought a bed rail and have moved a very solid bedside table away from the bed. Hopefully no more black eyes 
You appear to suggest that you have Parkinson’s. And thrashing around during sleep is a known feature
I think it is acting out the dreams. I recently had one where I was being mugged for my phone and woke myself up shouting F**** OFF at the top of my voice
many people with REM sleep behavior disorder go on to show other symptoms of parkinson’s and eventually become diagnosed with parkinson’s. it seems in these cases they likely had parkinson’s all along and the damage to the sleep paralysis system was just one of the many things parkinson’s hits on its long trip through the nervous system. however, some people have RBD without any sign of parkinson’s coming on in the future for them. so clearly there are other causes of damage to the sleep paralysis system. so the big question for you is what other symptoms you have and do they fit the “prodrome” pattern of parkinson’s. hope this helps.
a followup: i’ve only myself had one instance of rbd where i can remember the dream action that matched up with me grabbing things on the bedside table at which point i woke up finding i’d made a mess. i remember that i’ve had at least one other rbd episode but have forgotten all details.
Hi parkiejoe I posted about REM in Feb 21 but just to remind members what it all about here goes. If you ask you GP about REM not many of them know about it. My hubby gets REM and it took us about 7years to find out about it. Firsts he jumped out of bed and ran into the wall smashing his face, then he dived out of bed because our son was drowning and he wanted to save him, first GP well not sure what it is but I will give you meds to help (Tablets that you give little boys to stop wetting the bed?) changed GPs next We were told to sleep in separate rooms, this was not the answer? Went for my PD check up at QMC hospital and in the room was a professor she ask about REM ?? I did not have any stymtom’s but my all had all the classic signs. The professor told him what he had and put him or tablets we have never looked back.
The this is though I have Parkinson’s and my hubby has not.
Hello Minuette
My husband was diagnosed with Parkinsons 13 years ago. Very early maybe prior to formal diagnosis from a DAT scan he experienced this. Frequently falling out of bed or hitting/kicking himself or me. Yes REM sleep disorder if for him part of his Parkinsons package. He was/is strongly affected by what he views on the TV and will often relive scenarios from these programmes in his sleep.
Recently he has had his melatonin medication increased to help him generally sleep better. Prior to this we purchased a bed side guard available from most mobility aid suppliers. And covered the radiator next to his side of the bed. He now sleeps in his own bed which has side restraints. He also avoids watching thrillers and the like on TV.
So you are assuming Parkinson’s for yourself because if familial history.
Obviously as you’ve stated GP and further investigations ate in the agenda for you. Good luck and Best Wishes.
My husband
I have RBD (REM-Sleep Behaviour Disorder) as part of my PD package and it is controlled by taking clonazepam at bedtime. It works very well for me.
Hi Douglas CF from previous post My husband was also given Clonazepam and he has never looked back !!! but we must remember it doe’s not suit everyone.
As with a lot of medications!
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I have just been diagnosed,but have such vivid dreams, I have woken up on the other side of the room after throwing myself out of bed. I also woke screaming at an intruder and throwing my pillows at him. Have opened the car door in my sleep and ended up out of bed . The latest thing was so unsettling, someone pushed me down, I woke but it was so real
Welcome Unluckysharon you have come to the best site for help. Your vivid dreams sounds like REM . You will find quite a lot about it from our forum members,if you have a look at some of my old post’s and other posts it will explain it all, but I would say just to make sure that it is REM see your PD Nurse or phone Parkinson’s UK also see your GP and explain to him/her but do not be surprised if he/she knows nothing about it. It is called Rapid Eye Movement rough outline, when you go to sleep and dream your body just stays still but with REM you live your dream and act it out, ps my hubby just jumped out of bed and ran straight into the bedroom wall ended up with calling 999 at 2 30 am, So don’t let it go too far do look into it and post again so we can all know how you went on.
[quote=“mary1947, post:16, topic:40135”]
REM
[/quote]many people with PD have the inability to effectively paralyse their bodies so that the movements that accompany dreams during REM sleep are not stopped. It is called REM-sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD). I have it and it is controlled by taking 1.5mg of Clonazepam before bed.
Hi Douglas my hubby is also in Clonazepam since taking them he has been fine but we must remember it will not suit everyone
Of course that is true with any medication. Melatonin is also used by some for RBD.