Sleeping strategies for Parkinson’s

Chair Cardio for Parkinson’s

Next up is a great time to introduce a cardio segment. Follow the instructions on the video, and once again, cut back if you are tiring.

Suggested remedies

The Parkinson’s Disease and Research Center recommends the following steps for better sleep:

• • • Regular rise time and bedtime—by doing this every day, you can help your internal clock by providing regular cues, thereby improving your sleep-wake cycle. This should help in getting to sleep faster and reduce the number of nighttime awakenings.

• • • Get plenty of bright natural light exposure, preferably in the morning along with exercise. This will give your internal clock a strong cue to run on time.

• • • Avoid stimulants, such as caffeine and nicotine. Avoid caffeine-containing drugs, drinks, and foods for eight hours before bedtime. Avoid tobacco in the evening. This will help with getting to sleep and staying asleep.

• • • Avoid thoughts or discussions about topics that cause anxiety, anger, and frustration before bedtime. This will help with getting to sleep.

• • • Institute and maintain a definite bedtime routine that is relaxing to help signal the body that sleep is to occur soon. Examples might include: a bath, brushing teeth, a small glass of warm milk (4-6 oz.), or a light snack. This will help with getting to sleep and will reduce the need to awaken due to hunger.

• • • Reserve the bedroom and especially the bed for sleeping. Avoid activities like reading and watching television in bed. Your body needs cues to associate the bed with sleeping and not other activities.

• • • If you nap, try to do so at the same time every day and for no more than 1 hour, and ending by 3pm.

• • • Don’t spend more than 15 minutes trying to sleep—if you cannot sleep after 15 minutes get out of bed and engage in a quiet activity. Ideally, the activity should be in low light and sedentary, for example, listening to soft relaxing music or meditating, not reading with a bright light or watching television. Return to bed only when you are sleepy.

Suggested ways to stay asleep.

The Parkinson’s Disease and Research Center recommends the following steps for better sleep:

• • • Minimize light and noise at bedtime and throughout the night. This will reduce stimulation and promote normal function of the body’s melatonin rhythm that helps to promote and maintain sleep. Ear plugs may be helpful if the environment is noisy. Avoid alcohol within 4-6 hours of bedtime. When taken at bedtime, alcohol may help induce sleep but disrupts sleep later in the night.

• • • Avoid heavy exercise within 6 hours of bedtime. Exercise increases the body temperature. Sleep onset normally occurs as the core body temperature is decreasing. Artificially increasing body temperature can therefore give the wrong cue to the brain and contribute to sleep disruption.

• • • Avoid heavy late night meals. They can interfere with the ability to fall and stay asleep. A light snack at bedtime, however, may promote sleep. Good bedtime snacks include dairy products and carbohydrates.

• • • Assure the bedroom environment is right for sleep: comfortable bed, dark, quiet, and a cool temperature for sleeping.

• • • Avoid looking at the bedroom clock if you awaken. If necessary, face the clock to the wall.

I hope this information helps. Please feel free to share your experiences with sleeping issues. I will gladly publish your story, and answer any questions I can about this important topic.

Disclaimer:

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK: Patrick LoSasso’s videos are for informational purposes only. Consult a physician before performing this or any exercise program. After consulting with your physician, it is your responsibility to evaluate your own medical and physical condition, and to independently determine whether to perform, use or adapt any of the information contained here. Any exercise program has an inherent risk of injury. By voluntarily undertaking any exercise displayed herein, you assume the risk of any resulting injury.