Not having a good night of restful sleep can affect your health, emotional state, mood as well as overall quality of life. A good night’s rest is essential to feeling well. Also, disruptive sleep will have the same effect on the Care Partner as when people with PD don’t sleep well. The Care Partner needs good sound restful sleep for all the same reasons to maintain a healthy life.

Sleeping

Begin by starting a schedule of going to bed and rising on a regular basis. What you are in effect doing is setting your biological clock establishing your sleep cycle. Routines are very important to managing Parkinson’s and this is just one of the lifestyle changes needed to help achieve restful sleep.

• Exercise outside if possible in the morning sun as the Sunlight helps set your biological clock.
• Don’t work against you by avoiding ingestion of any stimulates, caffeine and nicotine for a least 4 hours before going to bed. This is simple good health practices as will probably be a major lifestyle change for some. But it does make a difference.
• Have pleasant dialog prior to bed; the last thing you want is engage in discussions that can cause un-wanted emotions like anger or anxiety. This is managing the disease with subtle lifestyle changes.
• Establish your bed time routine, such as drink warm milk, a small snack, bath etc. This is setting the biological clock. Try it, it works but give it time.
• Don’t go to bed and read or watch TV, again you are setting your biological clock so don’t give false cues.
• A nap, if needed, is also part of setting the biological clock, do it at the same time every day, limited to an hour or less and no later than 3 p.m. preferably earlier. If you nap, it should be part of the overall schedule for restful sleep at night.
• If you can’t get to sleep, get up and do something relaxing.  Do this is in soft light and quiet. Not watching TV or reading. When ready and sleepy go back to bed.

Do not take over-the-counter or prescription sleeping medicines without consulting your doctor.

• Don’t drink alcohol 4 hours prior to bed. Keep light and noise at a minimum during the night. If needed get some ear plugs and sleep mask for the eyes. It is an old tail that alcohol helps you sleep, partly true but it does cause you to wake up later and have greater difficulty going back to sleep.
• Exercise late in the day or at night increases the body core temperature, which is averse to sleeping when the core temperature decreases. That is why we develop the exercise routine for the mornings. Setting the biological clock.
• Don’t eat a heavy meal prior to bed they can prohibit sleep, a light snack, usually of a diary product can actually help sleep. Again we are establishing routines.
• Set the environment for sleep, quiet-cool-dark.
• Turn the face of the clock toward the wall.