Sleeping Difficulties

One of the toughest problems a person with parkinson's faces is sleeping. The consumption of protein interferes with the body's ability to absorb some medications so frequently protein is included only in an evening meal. This interference with some medications at night can cause sleeping problems. These problems can be compounded by an inability to move due to rigidity in muscles, tremors, or incontinence. These links might be a source of comfort.

Difficulty Sleeping by Abraham Lieberman MD, Medical Director NPF Questions from patients about difficulty sleeping, insomnia, are often ignored, or trivialized. The reasons for this are that insomnia is a common complaint, is usually self-limited, usually has no serious repercussions, and usually is not associated with, nor a warning of an underlying disease.

The SleepQuest The consequences of pervasive sleep deprivation and undiagnosed sleep disorders are collectively one of our nation's biggest and most serious health problems. A single sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, is now known to afflict 30 million Americans.

Sleep Problems in the Elderly Refreshing sleep requires both sufficient total sleep time as well as sleep that is in synchrony with the individual's circadian rhythm. Problems with sleep organization in elderly patients typically include difficulty falling asleep, less time spent in the deeper stages of sleep, early-morning awakening and less total sleep time.