Difficulty sleeping is one of the 10 most common presentations of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Insomnia occurs in 27-80% of PD patients and is most commonly experienced as frequent awakenings. Other sleep disruptions include early morning awakening, difficulty falling asleep, nightmares, nighttime confusion, and delusions. Leaving the sleep disturbances unaddressed can accentuate cognitive decline.
Many medications on the market are sleep aids. While they can induce sleep, most do not result in a “normal” sleep pattern and can result in dependence. There are non-medication methods of “sleep hygiene” that are often helpful, such as not eating before bedtime, restricting TV/computer/phone time before bed, and not getting into bed until you are ready to fall asleep (no reading in bed!)
A recent study suggested that acupuncture can significantly improve sleep quality in patients with PD, with benefits lasting up to 8 weeks. Importantly, not only did scores improve in the Parkinson Disease Sleep Scale but there was also significant improvement in the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and the 39-item Parkinson Disease Questionnaire.
Taking a proactive approach to managing Parkinson’s Disease can lead to better quality of life and potentially to preserving cognitive function. The BeCare Neuro App can help you track your tremor, gait and other motor manifestations of PD as well as your cognitive health and your mental health.
SOURCE:
Mingyue Yan, PhD, of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, led the study, which was published online on June 26 in JAMA Network Open.