Sleep problems are definitely a symptom of PD! Before diagnosed, I rarely slept more than an hour or 2 or if any! I thought it was work related stress. Constipation was also an issue. I had problems with both for about 10 years before I was even diagnosed. After I was on PD meds, the sleep issue didn't improve much. It was only after I had DBS; I started sleeping 6-8 hours uninterrupted. I'm still enjoying sleeping 6-8 hours! Now I listen to my body; if I'm tired or sleepy during the day, I take a nap. I'm a night owl & don't usually go to bed till 12 or 1, but I usually sleep till 7-8 or later. But I also have the luxury of being retired (not by choice thanks to Mr. Parkinson's) &I have a very supportive & helpful husband. I have learned that you HAVE
to listen to your body. Don't try to do everything in one day like laundry, errands, etc. I have learned I'm at my best in the mornings so that's when I do laundry or mop the floor or whatever. By 1 or 2, I'm pooped & that's my cue to stop for the day & rest. I want to spend time with my husband in the evening when he gets home from work instead of falling asleep on him. Take baby steps in your daily life because Parkinson's is a progressive disease & you can't control it. I've learned that a little dust isn't going to hurt and my home doesn't have to be like the glossy photos in magazines. My husband doesn't expect a 4 course meal every night. If I'm not feeling up to cooking, he forges for himself & he doesn't mind. Use a crockpot to cook your meals. Lots of recipes out there. I bought a 5 ingredient crockpot cookbook that is awesome. Teach your spouse how to to do laundry, run a vacuum cleaner, cook which doesn't mean he/she does it all the time. Marriage is a partnership. If you live alone & can afford it, hire someone to come in once or twice a month to heavy clean & then you do the maintenance cleaning. I splurge once in awhile & take my ironing to the local cleaners. Have doctor write prescriptions for 90 day supply so you don't have to go to store every month or have them delivered if provided & it's usually free! I schedule all my dr. appointments as early as possible. If available, I take the first appointment of the day because I'm not worn out from sitting in the waiting room for hours! Hire neighborhood teens to do yard work, sweep garage, sidewalks, etc. or buy a leave blower to make it easier. They work great on garages, decks, sidewalks, etc. My house is clean, organized & I'm rested & happy. You need to conserve your energy because this crappy disease zaps it constantly. Your body needs sleep especially battling PD! I don't have all the answers & I don't think even the medical field has, but I do know that I'm not letting this disease entirely control my life. I know life goes on & we all have things that need to be done, but having a spic & span home, 3-4 course meals, mirror like floors, picture perfect yard should not trump YOU.

People experience different symptoms.,depending on the stage and personal background. A healthy diet and exercise of the body and mind is recommended. Dance, paint, do puzzles, challenge your mind. It is a muscle therefore needs exercise. Be in touch with the doctor Think positive. I say a have a condition, not a disease..do not label yourself,..the mind is powerful and respond to that.....pray ..God will listen..a big hug to you all.

Hello all. We had a great Sunrise Service this morning. I'm going to preface what I say with, "The following is my personal opinion (as a social worker, I add professional)."
My husband has had a difficult time with large groups of people - this from PTSD, soldier related as well as now, PD. Normally we sit out in the cafe area. Today we tried the back row and it went well.

Also, we started boxing in our area with Rock Steady Boxing. It's been helping with speaking, walking, thinking on your feet, gait, anxiety, etc.

This is our new normal. I'm learning to ask if my husband needs help before jumping in to fix it. He takes naps when he's tired.

I'm learning to listen, really listen. We go to each other's dr visits.
We're not perfect at this, but we trust our Savior Jesus to walk along side us. It is our diagnosis and our life together. Going on 39 years.

God bless,

Spitfire

There is no doubt that sleep with Parkinson's is greatly impacted. All I can say is that different things work for different people but the one thing you CANNOT do is to get STRESSED OUT about it because that escalates the Parkinson's. Get sleep when you can and when you can't enjoy your time up by doing things you like or projects that you have been putting off. For those who are lucky enough to nap during the day, do it as much as you need to. Just because you force yourself to stay up during the day, doesn't mean you are going to get a good night's sleep. Sleep when you are tired, whether it is day or night.

This a very complex condition. Every person is different. In my case, exercise has been crucial, in addition to nutrition.
I take Clonozepam 0.5, Mirtazapine and Ropinole before bed and I sleep very well. Exercise of the mind and body are very important. I try, not even to mention the condition . Mind is powerful. God bless you all.