Sleep patterns and insomnia

Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. Some people will sleep more than this. Getting enough sleep is important for your physical and mental health. 

If you have Parkinson’s, not getting enough sleep can increase the risk of:

• thinking and memory issues
• having a fall
• your Parkinson’s symptoms feeling worse.

If you are having trouble sleeping, there are plenty of things you can do and professionals who can help.

Circadian rhythms 

The time you generally feel tired and fall asleep and the time when you wake up, are called your sleep pattern.

Sleep patterns are influenced by your body clock or "circadian rhythms". Circadian rhythms affect many important processes in our bodies, including body temperature and sleep. "Circadian" means that these rhythms happen over a 24-hour period.  

The most important factor for our body clock is whether it is light or dark outside. But it is also influenced by things like how hot or cold it is and whether you’ve eaten recently. 

How can sleep be disturbed 

You may struggle to sleep if you:

• smoke
• are too hot or cold
• have jet lag after travelling
• work changing shifts
• sleep too much during the day
• sleep somewhere different
• have an irregular sleeping pattern
• drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks
• feel depressed or anxious
• are uncomfortable, such as if your mattress is too hard or soft.
   

Changes to your normal routine might cause temporary problems with your sleeping patterns.

Insomnia is when you have regular sleep problems. This could be for a few weeks or months, or over a longer period. 

Lots of people, with or without Parkinson’s, have insomnia at some point in life.

Symptoms include:

• trouble falling asleep at night
• waking up during the night, or too early in the morning.

Insomnia can affect how you feel during the day. If you regularly don’t get enough sleep, you may feel:

• tired
• in a bad mood
• less able to concentrate or get things done. 

Insomnia and medication 

Some medications (stimulants) can keep you awake, while others can make you feel sleepy. These could be your Parkinson’s drugs or medication for something else. The patient information leaflet that comes with your medication can tell you more about side effects like these. 

If something that you’re taking is stopping you sleeping or making you tired, speak to your doctor or Parkinson’s nurse for advice. 

Never stop taking a medicine that’s been prescribed for you without talking to your doctor first.