Written by Dr. C | March 19, 2021
Ever had one of those mornings when you wake up and look around, but you’re not sure where you are or how you got there? It used to happen regularly to me when I was a child sleeping overnight at my grandmother’s house.
But one time was different. I woke up in my own bed, but didn’t know how I got there. I distinctly remember falling asleep in the guest room. Maybe I was confused, still in that waking up brain fog. I walked to the guest room. There was my favorite pillow. I don’t sleep without it. Confirmation!
Yes, my body was hijacked, and I had no memory of it. That was a big shock.
Sleep and Parkinson’s disease
Sleep disturbances affect about 88% of people with a Parkinson’s diagnosis. Those like me who show evidence of damage to the other dopamine-producing area in the brain, the insular cortex, are most likely to have such problems. Sleep problems are also considered one of the early signs of the disease.
Dream movement and full-body hijacks
For years, I have experienced physical movements while dreaming. I would move my foot and leg in bed, as if I were “stepping up.” Perhaps mindful thoughts during the day that focused my movements to avoid stumbling now manifest as dreams. The brain likes to dream about things we dedicate attention to. This new full-body hijack was vastly different, but likely an exaggeration of the “stepping up” nocturnal motor movement. So far (knock on wood), it has only happened once.
Circadian confusion
The other issue is that my wake-sleep biochemical clock is malfunctioning. Late at night, when it is pitch black outside, my body acts as if it is the middle of the day. At midnight, I am filled with energy and ready to tackle life.
Circadian rhythm imbalances are also known to be associated with Parkinson’s patients like me who have insular cortex damage. Learning what this feels like, how it feels different than other body-brain sleep problems, and then putting in place strategies that improve sleep took several years.
Muscle pain and nighttime routines
On top of these organic brain problems is the ever-present muscle pain that increases in severity during sleep. There is night paralysis that the brain uses to make sure we don’t act out our dreams. This adds to the rigidity my muscles experience. I wake every three hours to stretch or meditate before I drift off back to sleep. It took several years to build this routine into a habitual sleep ritual.
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