I have insomnia from the pk and average about 4 hrs sleep without drugs.

I only have the sleeping problem that comes with PD, not enough sleep and waking up many times during the night. Have that sleep apnea checked out Quiltie! I know two young people age 54 and 45 who just passed away from sleep apnea. Not to scare you but have it checked out. Bean

Hey Dr.Gary would it then be helpful to take a sleeping pill to get a normal night of sleep to help your brain heal itself during the night? Bean

Unfortunately, sleep disorders and problems are extremely common with PD. As I wrote recently in my article "Why Strategic Light Therapy Offers New Hope for People with Parkinson's Disease":

"The Importance of the Interplay Between Melatonin and Dopamine

In healthy people with good sleep patterns, dopamine and melatonin (the hormone responsible for sleepiness) work together in rhythm. During hours of sunlight, dopamine increases and melatonin decreases, while at night melatonin is higher and dopamine levels are at their lowest. In people with PD, not only is dopamine production affected, but its linkage with melatonin is completely broken too. These two chemicals no longer work in rhythm. So, while there may be a shortage of dopamine in people PD, just as critically there may be a corresponding severe over-production of melatonin. It is therefore simply not clear which symptoms and problems encountered in people with Parkinson's are due to dopamine shortage alone and which are due to the broken interaction between dopamine and melatonin (and other chemicals).

The Disaster of the Dopamine-Melatonin Imbalance

One of the consequences is major disruption to sleep patterns in people with PD. Insomnia, day-time fatigue, several periods of wakefulness during the night, are all commonly experienced. Broken sleep patterns, or the disruption of the so-called "Circadian Rhythm", has severe consequences for the health of otherwise well people. For people with chronic neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, it is potentially disasterous. This is because neuroplasticity (brain self-healing through the creation of new neuronal pathways and the removal of redundant or damaged ones), and processes which remove toxins, dead cells and cell excreta from the brain, typically occur under conditions of prolonged sleep."

There is also the "Zeez Sleep Pebble" - google it! I tried it and it didn't work for me, but apparently it does for 80% of people. Again, a drug free way to get better sleep.