How to Sleep Well

Sleep is essential for overall health and well-being. Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms are worse without good sleep.

Ensure you are creating a good sleep environment by:

Keep the bedroom quiet and dark during your sleep period
Avoid bright lights in the two hours before sleep
Avoid screens before bedtime and if using a screen reduce bluelight with applications that adjust the screen display F.Lux (Android, Windows), Night Shift (iPhone)
Keep room cool (65-68 degrees is ideal for most people)

Heathy sleep habits:

Get up at the same time daily, and go to sleep at the same time at night
Limit naps, it may make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Short naps (lasting 15-20 minutes) may improve mood and function. Do not take naps after 2pm since this could disrupt nighttime sleep
Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night
Limit fluid intake several hours before bedtime
Take the TV out of the bedroom, limit screen time before bedtime
Have a calming ritual at bedtime (e.g. music, meditation)
Paced breathing
Grace breath
Regular physical exercise promotes good sleep, but make sure you exercise at least 2 hours prior to going to sleep
Avoid caffeine after 1pm
Avoid alcohol at bedtime
Get sunlight exposure daily for at least 30 minute every morning, even on cloudy days. Try to get this exposure within 30 minutes of getting up.

Paced breathing
Grace breath

Medical conditions that can disrupt sleep

Parkinson’s disease and related disorders
Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
Obstructive sleep apnea OSA)
Depression, anxiety
REM behavior disorder (RBD)

Treatments for sleep issues in PD:

CBT-I
Melatonin
Carbidopa/Levodopa
Trazodone
Mirtazapine
Other medications to consider: silenor, quetiapine
Avoid ambien, lunesta, and benadryl (e.g. advil PM)

Created by the More than a Movement Disorder Team with support from the National Institute of Nursing Research Grant #R01NR016037