I also have insomnia, but i think it's the medication. Some nights i get caught up in things and can not turn it off. Other night i go to bed early and sleep all night. I think my lack of sleep is a compulsive disorder from the medication. Also pain and cramping in the legs and feet stop sleep. No matter what time I go to bed I am up at 5:00 am and get up because I am stiff and need to move around. I have learned to except the few things that PD causes and most of the time very happy. My faith keeps me strong.

Marianne, Does it make sense to you that one of the keys to handling sleep problems and the stress that accompanies it is to eradicate the stress manifestations...not the stress itself. To me, eliminating stress would be impossible. So what can we do about the stress damage? Again, to me, it is easier than you think. You get rid of the inflammation that stress has created and not allow it to rule our lives. By utilizing good, strong Anti-Oxidants and Anti-inflammatories, such as Original Glutathione, Vitalzym (Systemic Enzymes) or Dihydrolipoic Acid (DHLA) we can control inflammation. DHLA is an antioxidant that supplies nutraceuticals that eradicates free radicals and stress damage. There is no stress greater than someone with PD.

Additionally, it is a known fact that more than 95% of all pain, bodily imbalances and disease are brought on by inflammation. Cure the inflammation, cure the stress, cure the body, mind and spirit, cure the disease.

You also sound like you may be struggling with anxiety? Anxiety comes from stress or does stress come from anxiety? I'd say both. Ask your doctor if he thinks something for anxiety would help you sleep better. Ask him/her about Clonazepam or Alprazelam and get his/her input and feedback about these drugs for your sleep disorder.

While you are at it, be sure and ask your doctor about the anti-inflammatory supplements. Make sure none of them will interfere with your PD meds. I do not think they will but just to be sure, ask. Any questions, please feel free to post me.

I have already began my own anti-inflammatory regime and If you decide to utilize this information, you can find any of these three supplements with a Google search. If you like, you can purchase them online. If you have further questions, please let me hear from you.,

Godspeed. Sterling

Long ago, before my PD diagnosis I was taking Ambien for a while when I was not sleeping well. I stopped when I figured out that 2-3 nights after I had taken it, I had weird hallucinations, finding myself standing at the window, scared, yelling and hitting the glass to fight monster! No more Ambien, and though I am on clonazepam for REM Sleep Disorder, it was never as bad as those other nightmares.

not sleeping seems to be compounded by not sleeping. i used to go 24 + without sleeping. haven't done that since starting rytary. nonetheless i am still in no way normal in my sleep pattern - 3 hrs sleep up for 4-6 then sleep 2-4. sounds weird but i am trying to whatever i can to get some sleep. i am going to investigate the amount of dopamine used by the nonpd brain during sleep - check to see if i am at that amount.

i have used herbal teas sleepytime - not too successful w/sleeping pills -- i seem to wake up before the drug is out of my sysytem -- so i wake up and can't do anything.

this process can be both scary and frustrating - but try to find a path that works for you

good luck

Inside just posted I am going to have to ask for some kind of sleeping aid because I simply cannot go without sleep every night. During the day I did I get so sleepy and have to lay down and take a nap as much as I try not to . I do think it's the Parkinson's for sure . It really makes me so depressed at times that I can't even get my good nights sleep so that I can be refreshed for the next day . But we can't let this get us down . If it's too much to cope with the doctors seem to have things that will help us like a sleeping aid or something so let's pray the good Lord gives them the knowledge that they need to help us.