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I experience this occasionally. My Dr.'s evaluation was that it is probably due to muscle tightness and general stress related to Parkinson's. I have found that this problem is greatly alleviated by relaxing exercise. In the mornings after allowing time for my PD medications to take effect, I do some breathing exercises and gentle yoga stretching. Since I find a cane useful at times, there is a short series of exercises that I do with it. Later I try to either walk in my neighborhood or swim at the local YMCA before eating lunch. Lately, I have been trying to go through Qigong (Chi Kung) Master Effie Poy Yew Chow's exercise system in the late morning the days that I walk. There is a local exercise group that meets one day/week that uses her system, which I attend. She has written a book with Charles T. McGee, M.D., about her exercise system. In the late afternoon, I take about a 15 minute break to do a short T'ai Chi form which I have practiced "off and on" for many years. I have noticed that there seems to be a direct correlation between doing the exercises and my stress level and my ability to move. If I "slack off" the exercise program, within a week the tightness in the chest returns. Also, I will then have more "off" times when I am moving very slow and need to use the cane. I sleep much better when I follow the exercise program. I have noticed that the nights that I wake up and cannot go back to sleep almost always follow days when I did not follow my exercise program. Charley 50, diagnosed 1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn