Acting Out Your Dreams
I am hopeful that my participation in PPMI can , over time , lead to true scientifically proven cures and prevention strategies .
Section 02 — Understanding and Living with Risk Factors
Parkinson ’ s Risk Factors
01
Acting Out Your Dreams
While sleeping , you yell , punch , kick or move in other ways
I am hopeful that my participation in PPMI can , over time , lead to true scientifically proven cures and prevention strategies .
Brian Duggan PPMI volunteer who lives with RBD , age 67 , Mill Valley , California
What to know :
Good sleep is an important part of keeping your body and brain healthy . But , during times of stress or as you get older , good sleep may be harder to come by . Many have insomnia , or difficulty falling or staying asleep . Some wake up several times during the night to use the restroom . Others have sleep apnea , or temporary pauses in breathing . Still others act out their dreams .
When we dream , our brain prevents our muscles from moving . In some , these brain signals don ’ t work properly , and a person moves while dreaming . This is called REM sleep behavior disorder ( RBD ). People with RBD often have very active dreams in which they ’ re playing sports , running , or even being chased or attacked . They may yell , kick , thrash , punch , swing or make other movements . They might jump out of bed and run across the room or knock over lamps or other objects . You can easily wake a person with RBD , and they remember their dreams . Some with RBD have episodes once a month ; others , a few times a week or more .
RBD is more common in men , people aged 50 or older , and those who live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD ). Certain medications , such as antidepressants , also can trigger RBD .
Loved ones may be the first to notice sleep changes . Spouses , sleeping partners or family members could be woken by noise or injured by accident . Not only can this be scary , it also can interfere with a good night ’ s sleep . For some people with RBD and their loved ones , worry about what might happen during the night can also make it difficult to fall asleep .
Loved ones , read more on page 29 .
A sleep specialist , a doctor with additional training in evaluating and treating sleep changes , can help . They can figure out what ’ s causing sleep changes and recommend how to treat them . If you have RBD , medications may lessen acting out dreams and changes to your sleep habits and sleep area can keep you and your loved ones safe .
In many — but not all — people , RBD is one of the earliest symptoms of Parkinson ’ s . It can come on years or decades before motor symptoms , such as shaking ( tremor ), slowness and stiffness , and a PD diagnosis . ( In rare cases , acting out dreams is an early sign of a condition that is similar to , but separate from , Parkinson ’ s ).
28 The Michael J . Fox Foundation for Parkinson ’ s Research