Proven Strategies to Overcome Insomnia and Other Sleep Issues with Parkinson's
[00:00:00] Hello and welcome to live Parkinson's live an exceptional life. I'm your host, Chris Kustanbauter, and I've been living with Parkinson's for the past 13 years. The mission of this podcast is to help as many people living with Parkinson's and their families as possible live out great quality of life. Now, today's topic is navigating sleep challenges and disorders with Parkinson's disease.
One that I'm sure that we can all relate to, but before we get into our topic for today, I just have a brief disclaimer and that is this. Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat Parkinson's disease. Please follow the treatment plan prescribed by your physician.
All information being shared is based on my own personal experiences and is for educational purposes only. Okay, [00:01:00] now that we have the disclaimer out of the way, do you have trouble falling asleep or waking up frequently and are unable to get back to sleep? Do you experience excessive daytime sleepiness?
If you answered yes, then this podcast is for you. In this podcast, we're going to explore the major types of sleep issues, the causes of each type of sleep issue, and some strategies to help with both the quality and quantity of sleep based on each type of sleep issue. So, how prevalent are sleep issues and disorders in people living with Parkinson's?
Well, according to the Parkinson's Foundation in their article, Sleep Disorders, about 75 percent of people with Parkinson's report having sleep related symptoms. These include disrupted sleep, which can affect both your health, your mood, and your quality of life. In fact, up to 30 to 50 percent of people with Parkinson's experience daytime sleepiness.
So what are some [00:02:00] of the sleep issues and disturbances that you can have with Parkinson's that we're going to be talking about in this podcast? Let's take a look at each one individually. Let's start with insomnia. Insomnia is one that I think most of us can relate to.
And this is one of the sleep issues that I probably had the biggest problem with as my Parkinson's disease has progressed. So exactly what is insomnia? Let's kind of clear that up first. Insomnia is a, it's a sleep disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep. And, or waking up early now, the, uh, the keyword here is persistent because we're all going to have nights where we have difficulty either falling asleep or staying asleep.
So how big a problem is insomnia in people with Parkinson's? Well, according to some studies. Up to 80 percent of people with Parkinson's reporting having trouble with insomnia. [00:03:00] This compares to about 10 to 30 percent of people in the general population that complain of insomnia as a major sleep issue.
And insomnia is one of the most common non motor symptoms that people experience in Parkinson's disease. Speaking from a personal experience, and during the past 13 years, I'd say this is probably right there at the top of one of my. Biggest issues with non motor symptoms with Parkinson's. And I usually talk about it pretty much every visit with my movement disorder specialist.
And I usually wake up between 2. 30 and 3. 30 every morning and get out of bed simply because I can't sleep. And you may be saying to yourself, Gosh, what do you do during that time? Well, I've learned over the course of the last couple of years that rather than waste time, maybe looking at YouTube videos, I decided to teach myself some things.
So I taught myself how to do websites. I write blog articles. I live parkinsons. com where I write articles. I've written articles for [00:04:00] other websites as well. I taught myself how to do podcasting. So while insomnia is a major issue, there can be positives if you have trouble with sleep and you need to find some other outlet.
So what are some of the causes of insomnia? Why do we wake up in the middle of the night or why do we have trouble falling asleep? Well, one is physical discomfort. Those of us with Parkinson's, a lot of times, you know, you get in bed and you have, you might have tremors, you might have rigid muscles. And you might just have difficulty rolling over in bed.
I know that wakes a lot of us up when you have difficulty rolling over in bed. It makes it difficult to get comfortable and have a good night's sleep. Another is muscle cramps. I know I often get muscle cramps in the middle of the night, especially when my feet are Tied up in the covers and I'm trying to move them.
I'll, I'll get a cramp in my hamstring or my, my calf, which wakes you up and makes it difficult to get back to sleep. There are psychological factors that also play a key role in [00:05:00] insomnia, anxiety and depression and stress. All three of those are important in affecting your sleep. If you're, if you go to bed and you're worried or you have racing thoughts on your mind, it makes it difficult to fall asleep.
And sometimes it'll wake you up in the middle of the night. People have panic attacks in the middle of the night that wake them up due to anxiety. So anxiety is something that you can talk to your physician about to help address your anxiety issues that can help you improve your sleep. Depression is the same way.
People with depression oftentimes either find it difficult to stay asleep and it can wake them up. And then stress, not only is it impactful on our mental health, but also our physical health as well. But if you're stressed. You're going to have a hard time falling asleep because you're going to sit and worry about, you know, whether it be finances or what's going on in the world.
So if you can use mindful techniques like meditation to help reduce your stress, you're going to go a long way in helping with your insomnia. And another one is [00:06:00] medication side effects. Sometimes medications will lead to insomnia. So you can talk to your doctor about maybe adjusting your medication schedule to help with.
Uh, some of the side effects medication has in, in terms of causing you to either have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. So what are some of the symptoms of insomnia? Well, some of the physical symptoms include muscle tension, palpitations, and headache. If you don't get enough sleep, a lot of times you'll wake up the next morning and you may have a headache and that, that persists during the day.
And then some of the daytime symptoms of insomnia are fatigue. Times you don't get enough sleep, you're going to be fatigued during the day and you're not going to want to do a whole lot and participate in a lot of activities, which can affect your quality of life. Mood issues. Most of us know that if you don't get enough sleep that you're going to get irritable and maybe snap at friends and family.
So, insomnia is going to have a big [00:07:00] part in your mood and how you interact with other people. Irritability goes along, right along with the mood issues. And you don't get enough sleep. You're irritable and it's the little things that can drive you crazy and make you mad. So not getting enough sleep is going to have a detrimental impact on, on your quality of life there.
And then the final one is cognitive impairment. I just think when you don't get enough sleep and people ask you to do math problems, or you're trying to calculate, you're trying to pay your bills, or trying to focus on writing a letter, it's very difficult. Because you're tired and you're not all with it in terms of your cognitive abilities.
So, insomnia is one of the major non motor symptoms affecting sleep, but what are some of the strategies that we can use to help to alleviate? Insomnia and help us get a better night's sleep and in terms of both quality and quantity sleep. [00:08:00] Uh, the first is to keep a regular sleep schedule, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on the weekends, because what this does is it helps your circadian rhythm or your internal body clock.
Keep a regular. Rhythm so that your sleep patterns are consistent. That's going to help with insomnia. Number two is to create a calm bedtime routine. And maybe that's doing some relaxing things before bed, like reading a book, taking a warm bath, just sitting back and doing some meditation. Maybe it's some people like to knit.
Uh, I like to tie flies and so a lot of times I'll tie some flies before bed that that kind of calms me down or I'll just practice the guitar. I enjoy doing that too. That's a relaxing thing for me that helps me get ready for bed. Number three is to limit stimulants. You know, try to avoid caffeine, especially later in the day.
Maybe you don't want to have caffeine [00:09:00] past noon or depending on how caffeine affects you. I know some people that can drink coffee right before bed and go to sleep and not have a problem. Where? Personally, if I drink a lot of caffeine, I'm going to be up for hours and then I'll lay there in bed thinking, why can't I fall asleep?
Well, it was the, you know, four glasses of iced tea that I had during the day. Another is avoid alcohol. Alcohol is going to help make you go to sleep. But then you're going to have fitful sleep and it's going to help and that's going to cause you to wake up multiple times in the night. So too much alcohol is going to disrupt your sleep as well.
And then electronic use. This is a big one and I know I have problems with it. I went to a sleep specialist and one of the things they told me is try not to use iPads or your phone or the computer or watch too much TV before bed. It's the blue light emitting equipment is going to stimulate the light cycle [00:10:00] and help keep you away.
So I try not to sit on the iPad and do things or I try not to be on my phone or on the computer at least an hour or an hour and a half to two hours before bed. That's going to help keep my mind from. Being stimulated overstimulated as well, and it's going to help you relax and go to sleep. So if possible, and I know it's hard, but try to limit your use of electronics that emit the blue light.
And then number four is optimize your sleep environment. I know I find that when I'm too hot, I can't sleep. So I like to sleep, uh, when it's cool and in a nice quiet place. So decide on what's best for you, what type of environment makes it. easier for you to fall asleep. Some people like it warmer. It's really a personalized thing.
So depending on how you like your sleep environment, but make it comfortable. Do you like it really dark? Some people don't like it really dark, especially if they have to get up in the [00:11:00] middle of the night and use the restroom. So just decide on what's best for you in terms of making your Sleep environment comfortable.
And then finally is managing your medications, you know, talk with your doctor and discuss any medication adjustments that you might need to help you sleep. And one of those might be that you need some type of sleep medication. I know I've tried several sleep medications because like I said, I'm up early in the, in the morning.
And I had some side effects that I didn't like, so I've come to peace with it. So now I use the time that I'm up early to, to do a lot of things and get a lot of things done that I want to do. Like I said, I like to write articles, I like to do research and prepare for, you know, these podcasts and things like that.
So if you. Uh, can't take medications and you are up early, find something like a hobby that'll keep you occupied. That'll help ease your mind as well. And then finally, if you have trouble with sleep, talk to your doctor [00:12:00] about seeing a sleep specialist. I've seen a sleep specialist several times now and they give you, they look at your sleep patterns and talk to you and look at your medications and then provide a, a treatment plan to help you sleep.
So if you're having trouble sleeping, ask your movement disorder specialist or your neurologist to give you a referral to a sleep specialist to help with insomnia. So those are some of the strategies that are going to help alleviate insomnia and help you to have a better quality of. Sleep and get a good night's sleep.
Now, as I close out this section on insomnia, I want to close with a testimonial from a patient with Parkinson's and how insomnia has affected and impacted their life. So let me read you their story. I'm Karen. And I've been living with Parkinson's for a while now. One of the challenges I've faced along the way is insomnia.
Some nights, sleep just doesn't [00:13:00] come easy. It's frustrating, but I've learned to take it in stride. I've found a few practical strategies that help. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine has been key. I try to wind down with some light reading or calming music before bed. I've also made my bedroom as comfortable as possible with a good mattress and blackout curtains to keep the room dark.
Limiting caffeine and avoiding heavy meals close to bedtime has made a difference too. It's about creating the right conditions for sleep to happen naturally. I've also talked to my doctor about it. They provided some advice on managing my medications to minimize any sleep disruptions. And when needed, they've recommended some relaxation techniques that help calm my mind.
Dealing with insomnia alongside Parkinson's is just part of the journey. It's a challenge, but I've learned to approach it practically. It's about finding what works for me. Every night, I face the issue head on [00:14:00] with the strategies that have proven effective. Parkinson's is a part of my life, but it doesn't define it.
I'm practical, and I'll keep finding ways to make things work. So that's a testimonial from a person that struggles with insomnia. And just as a personal example, one of the things that I've done to help me when I've And woken up during the middle of the night is I've created a bunch of playlists on my phone that I, I label like, Oh, dark 30, dusk to dawn.
I try to come up with creative names, but they usually range from two hours to five or six hours with music. And what I'll do is if I wake up early, I'll, I'll put my headphones in and. Play them the songs on a low volume and a lot of times as I start to listen to the songs, it'll put me back to sleep and I may be able to get another few hours of sleep.
So that's an option as well. If you're having trouble getting to sleep because of insomnia. So, moving on to [00:15:00] the next topic in terms of sleep issues is excessive daytime sleepiness. This is one that I've had issues with as well during the course of my Parkinson's journey. Exactly what is excessive daytime sleepiness?
Well, it's persistent and overwhelming sense of sleepiness during waking hours. So it's not just being, I'm tired. We all go through times where we're tired. Maybe you ate a big lunch and after lunch, you're yawning and you're tired. This is a persistent and overwhelming sense of sleepiness during waking hours.
And it can lead to difficulty in concentration, alertness, and increased risk of accidents. I know a lot of times during the day, if. If I haven't had enough sleep, I will be sitting at the computer and I'll, I'll just suddenly doze off. So excessive daytime sleepiness is not your typical tiredness because we all feel tired at certain times of the day, but it's a persistent and overwhelming sense of [00:16:00] tiredness.
That's the key with excessive daytime sleepiness. And it's a common problem in people with Parkinson's. In fact, up to one third of patients with Parkinson's have disabling sleepiness. And it usually increases as the disease progresses. So as your Parkinson's progresses, a lot of times you will have more problems with excessive daytime sleepiness and.
The current thinking is that it, it may be due to the reduction in some of the neurotransmitters in your brain. Some of the neurotransmitters would be acetylcholine, dopamine, which we all know about with our Parkinson's, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These are neurotransmitters that are used to help keep us alert.
So, as they're being reduced, it leads to the excessive daytime sleepiness. And they're also, these neurotransmitters also, especially when they're reduced, they play a key role in some of the mood [00:17:00] disorders that you see in people with Parkinson's. Now, medications play a big role in People that have or are suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness.
And one of the big ones is a dopamine agonist. I currently take a dopamine agonist and I'm at the highest level on one of the dopamine agonist. And I do have issues with daytime sleepiness and they, They tend to have a greater tendency to cause sleepiness than just the plain levodopa formulations, according to a Sleep and Parkinson's Disease article I found in the Missouri Medicine Journal.
The article states that the effect is usually dose dependent, so meaning that the higher the dose, usually that relates to More problems with excessive daytime sleepiness, but they also said that you can have the same problem. Even can be even seen at low doses. One of the other issues with dopamine agonists.
Now, again, they don't break [00:18:00] down into dopamine, but when they're broken down, they act like dopamine in the, in your system, but they may cause sleep attacks. And these occur when a person is, you're, you're sitting there awake and alert and all of a sudden you have this sudden irresistible need to sleep, even though you were just alert.
So someone can fall asleep suddenly just as, as they're sitting there. And this can be a real danger if someone's driving. If you're, if you're driving and someone has a sudden sleep attack and they fall asleep, they could either get in an accident. By hitting another car or running off the road and and hitting a telephone pole or something like that.
So it can cause significant injury and even death depending on if you're driving in a car and you have a sleep attack and you hit another car. So it's it's important that you're aware if you're taking certain medications like dopamine agonist that you if you're having sleep attacks that you make [00:19:00] sure that your doctor is aware immediately because it may be something that They want to change, especially if you, you want to keep driving because it's dangerous to get behind the wheel.
If you're going to be having a sleep attacks. And many people stop driving because they have sleep attacks. So, it's imperative that if you're taking a dopamine agonist, that's one of the things that you review with your, your doctor. Is, is it making you sleepy during the day excessively? And maybe they can look at your medications and adjust those.
Uh, usually sleepiness occurs the longer someone is on a, one of the dopaminergic therapies as well. Another issue that can cause excessive daytime sleeping is This is nightly sleep fragmentation, where you keep waking up several times during the night, whether it be for short or extended periods of time, and that's going to lead to being excessive daytime sleepiness.
[00:20:00] And so some examples would be, if you're getting up to go to the bathroom several times in the middle of the night, your sleep is going to be fragmented if you have difficulty rolling around in bed or rolling or turning over in bed, then that might cause. Fragmented sleep, especially if you're doing that several times throughout the night.
Insomnia is another thing that can contribute to daytime sleepiness and fatigue. So, it's important that you monitor your medications and you take a look at those. So, to summarize the causes of... Daytime sleepiness is number one is medication side effects, and dopamine agonist again can be a major contributor to excessive daytime sleepiness, especially at higher doses.
Number two is reduction in neurotransmitters involved in alertness, and we talked about acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. which are involved in alertness. So if they're [00:21:00] reduced, it's going to lead to some excessive daytime sleepiness. And then the final is the fragmented sleep or disrupted nighttime sleep.
So what are some of the strategies you can use to help combat excessive daytime sleepiness? Well, one is regular physical activity. And we all know from other podcasts, but is in a lot of the research that Exercise is key to helping to slow the progression of Parkinson's, but it's also going to help you with your sleep.
If you have a regular, if you participate in regular physical activity, you're expending a lot of energy that you might use that's going to help you with your sleep. in the evening. Optimize your medication schedules with your physician is another. So your medications may be affecting your sleep. And if you can adjust the schedule on when you take them, that can have an impact on whether you experienced excessive daytime sleepiness.
And then finally, you want to incorporate short planned [00:22:00] naps into the daily routine. Now the key here is short, And planned. So studies have shown that between 20 minutes and 30 minutes are great nap to help refresh you during the day without affecting your sleep at night. A lot of times if you go and you take a two hour nap, you start to get into REM sleep.
And a lot of times if you wake up, you notice you feel groggy and out of sorts. So if you can keep your naps to 20 to 30 minutes, it's not going to have that big impact on your sleep at night as well. So those are some strategies that can help with preventing excessive daytime sleepiness. Now, moving on to the next sleep issue, and that's restless leg syndrome.
You might've seen commercials on TV. I know they've been advertising for restless leg syndrome, but what exactly is. Restless leg syndrome. Well, it's an uncomfortable sensation in the legs, often described it as a creepy crawly feeling. [00:23:00] And usually you get an irresistible urge to move your legs when you get that creepy crawly feeling.
So how common is restless leg syndrome? Well, about 5 10 percent of the adult population in North America has issues with restless leg syndrome. And it's twice as prevalent in women as it is in men. And then there have been studies and especially multiple studies that show that there's a higher prevalence of restless leg in people living with Parkinson's.
Restless leg syndrome doesn't seem to appear to have the same impact on the quality of life in terms of fatigue and tiredness as insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness, but it is a, an issue that a lot of people have to deal with. So what causes restless leg syndrome? One thought is it's the changes in your, in the dopamine levels in your body as the Parkinson's [00:24:00] disease progresses.
And another cause is dysfunction in the brain's basal ganglia helps control movement. So what are some of the strategies that can help with Restless Leg Syndrome? Well, number one is To do some general leg stretches before you go to bed, maybe stretch, do some calf stretches, some hamstring stretches, bend over, uh, touch your toes, do calf raises by getting up on your toes.
That'll help stretch your calves out and then do a lunge to help stretch out your quadricep and your hamstrings. So those are some general stretches that you can do before bed to help alleviate. Restless leg syndrome. Some people like to take a warm bath that helps them to relax and a warm bath can help stimulate the blood flow and people massage their legs after getting out of the bath.
And that's going to [00:25:00] help with restless leg syndrome as well. And then in severe cases, there are medications that are available to help with restless leg syndrome. So if you have restless leg syndrome, talk to your doctor about some medications that might help you with that. So before we move on to the next.
Sleep issue. I want to talk about a person that's been dealing with restless leg syndrome and tell you their story in a testimonial. I'm John and I've been living with Parkinson's for a few years. Alongside it, I've also been dealing with restless leg syndrome. Having restless leg syndrome means that some nights are a bit more restless than others.
It's a sensation in my legs. can be hard to describe, but it makes it difficult to get comfortable and relax. With the help of my medical team, we've tried a few strategies to manage it. Simple lifestyle changes have made a real difference. Regular, gentle exercise seems to help, and I make sure to stretch my legs before bedtime.
Cutting [00:26:00] back on caffeine and nicotine has also made a noticeable improvement. Additionally, my doctor adjusted my medication regimen, which has brought some relief. They also suggested using a heated pad on my legs before bed, which helps relax the muscles. My wife, Sarah, has been incredibly understanding and supportive.
She's been right there with me, helping me find ways to make our evenings more comfortable. Dealing with Restless Leg Syndrome alongside Parkinson's is just part of the package. It's another challenge to work through, but it doesn't define me. It's taught me to be adaptable and seek out practical solutions.
Every night I face the discomfort head on armed with strategies that work best for me and Parkinson's is a part of my life, but it doesn't control it. So that's a person that lives with restless leg syndrome. So hopefully that puts that in some perspective for you. Moving on to the next sleep issue.
Disorder is REM sleep behavior disorder, often called RBD or [00:27:00] SBD, and what REM sleep disorder causes individuals to do is physically act out their dreams during rapid eye movement sleep or REM sleep, and that could potentially result in injury to either themselves or their bed partner, and results could be falling out of bed or thrashing in bed and hitting your partner and causing some injuries.
It's present in about 20 to 50 percent of people with Parkinson's, and it's strongly associated with Parkinson's. It's interesting to note that Rapid eye movement, sleep behavior disorder, and predate motor symptoms by years and is one of the best known biomarkers of PD. So a lot of times people will have REM sleep behavior disorder long before they have any motor symptoms of Parkinson's.
And that is one of the ways that people can [00:28:00] identify that they have Parkinson's or one of the identifiers or drivers that's going to help with that. Several things that can happen with R. B. D. is patients may fall from their bed while they're acting out their dreams. Can cause injury, so if we can address some of the issues with R.
B. D. then we can help prevent injuries. Bed partners a lot of times will be able to figure out what the person is dreaming about based on what the person is saying and how they're acting out their dreams. Usually though, rapid eye movement, sleep behavior disorder, does not typically cause significant sleep disruptions.
But what causes it? Well, it's believed to be related to changes in the brain's neurotransmitters, including dopamine. So, you're probably saying, well, if it's a, a problem with dopamine in some of the neurotransmitters, what are some strategies that I can use to, to help with the issue? Number one is [00:29:00] safety precautions.
You want to remove any potential hazards from the bedroom. A lot of times you want to put pads on any sharp objects. Maybe it, it could be your, a nightstand might have sharp corners on it. You want to secure any loose items to prevent injury during episodes so that if the person's flailing or jumping around, they're not choking themselves on loose items that may be on or near the bed.
Another is medication management. Your physician may adjust or prescribe medication to help you manage your RBD symptoms. So, if you or your partner think that You're experiencing rapid eye movement, sleep behavior disorder. It's, it's imperative that you let your doctor know that you're acting out your dreams in your sleep so that they can prescribe medications to help you manage your symptoms and help prevent injury to both you and your partner.
So let's take a look at a person that's been living with person that's been living with REM sleep behavior [00:30:00] disorder and let them talk about their journey. My name is James and I've been living with Parkinson's for a few years now. Alongside the usual challenges, I've also dealt with REM sleep behavior disorder.
Dealing with RBD means my nights aren't always as restful as I'd like. Sometimes I act out my dreams in my sleep, which can be a bit unsettling for both me and my wife, Emily. But with the help of my medical team, We found ways to manage it. We've adjusted my medications and made changes to our sleep environment to make things more comfortable.
Emily has been a rock through all this, her support and understanding and made a world of difference. And we've learned to adapt to the challenges together. Dealing with the RBD adds an extra layer to living with Parkinson's, but it's just one more thing to tackle. It taught me the importance of finding practical solutions and then leaning on those around me for support every night.[00:31:00]
I face the unknown with a practical mindset, knowing that I have the tools to handle whatever comes my way. I'm resilient and I'll keep moving forward. So that's a person's testimonial that has rapid eye movement, sleep behavior disorder, and how they deal with it. And moving on to other sleep related issues that we all may run into with Parkinson's disease, anxiety and depression, which we've talked about with insomnia again, if you have anxiety or depression, a lot of times you might have racing mind.
It's going to keep you awake. You want to talk to your physician about, Any medications or cognitive behavioral therapy is another great option to help deal with anxiety and depression so that you can get a good night's sleep. And what cognitive behavioral therapy is, is exposing yourself to different experiences that you may be having trouble with so that you can overcome those challenges.
So it's something to look [00:32:00] into if you're having issues with anxiety and depression. Some people experience nighttime sweating is another issue that people that may cause you to have trouble sleeping. Frequent urination or nocturia where you wake up multiple times in the middle of the night to use the restroom.
Talk to your doctor about issues you're having with this and they can come up with some different solutions to help address this so that you're not getting that fragmented sleep and being tired the next day. Sleep apnea. That's a problem that I have as well. And I use a CPAP machine, but sleep apnea, while not technically Parkinson's related.
people with sleep apnea also have trouble with sleep. So if, especially if they're not using a CPAP machine and they're going to have trouble with their breathing, a lot of times they're snoring, they're waking up their partner, but, and also holding their breath. And that could lead to a lot of other health issues, but it's also going to affect the quality and quantity of sleep that you get as [00:33:00] well.
So if you suspect you have sleep apnea or your partner tells you have sleep apnea. Please see a sleep specialist or ask your physician to have a sleep study done to see if you have sleep apnea. And so you can get the proper treatment to help you get a better night's sleep. Pain is another one. It's a common and yet often misunderstood, misrecognized symptom of Parkinson's.
Times you get muscle cramping. I know that's one of the things that, that I get and it. Wakes you up in the middle of the night and then it keeps you awake. So there's some additional issues that are related to difficulty sleeping. So we looked at some of the sleep issues. We talked about insomnia and that's the persistent difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up early.
We talked about excessive daytime sleepiness and the issues that that can cause, especially with people that have sudden sleep attacks and issues with accidents and injuries that can [00:34:00] result from those. We looked at restless leg syndrome and some of the strategies that you can use to treat restless leg syndrome, which is that creepy crawly feeling that makes you want to move your legs.
And then finally, we looked at REM, sleep behavior disorder, where people act out their dreams and that can cause danger and issues to both of them and their partner. And finally, we talked about some of the issues that additional issues that you may have with that aren't necessarily Parkinson's related that can cause effect on your sleep.
But if you use the strategies that we discussed during this podcast, it's going to help you get a better quality and quantity of sleep. And I hope you realize that. Living with PD, you're not the only one that's suffering from problems with sleep that there's a host of us out here that are in the same boat with you and we all sympathize with each other and we look to help each other out with getting a great night's sleep because it is important in having a great quality of life.
If you can sleep well, [00:35:00] you feel better during the day. Your mood's better and you're going to have a great quality of life. So I thank you for listening to this podcast, but before you go, please visit my website, live parkinson's. com and sign up for the free monthly newsletter. It's packed with some of the latest research and things that are new coming out with Parkinson's.
And as well, if you're interested in learning about the four strategies that I use to live an exceptional life for the past 13 years. I have a book available on Amazon, it's called Spectacular Life, Four Strategies for Living with Parkinson's, My Journey to Happiness. And I thank you for listening and I hope to see you on future podcasts.