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About Sleep - Here's a topic that has not been discussed
much recently yet it's an important item in the PD menu.
I believe that because the body is working harder than
normal to execute various commands it requires more rest
time to recuperate. This may be difficult to attain due to
the influence of medications along with the daily activity
schedule. Other factors I mould like to discuss as they
adversely affect my rest are 'sleep positions' and 'the
toilet'. Although I have little or no problem "getting" to
sleep my problem is "staying" asleep. It appears that my
body requires that I urinate every three hours or so during
the night whereas I can go much longer periods when awake.
I sometimes feel that if I were attending a class on
'sleep' that I'd get an "A" in bathroom going. Is this act
a product of medication, PD, or aging, or a combination of
these factors? Most of all what, if anything, can be done
to at least reduce this problem?  Then it seems that if I
don't awaken after 2 - 3 hours to go to the bathroom I
awaken to find that a part of my body has developed an ache
or that I have a mouthful of cotton due to my sleeping
position. It seems that sleeping on my back tends to relax
my jaw so that I breathe thru my mouth thus drying it
out while sleeping on my side puts undue pressure on an arm
or shoulder....On my arm if I was asleep with it under my
head or on my shoulder if it was squeezed forward. I really
prefer sleeping on my side but what does one do with the
arm 'down under'? As most of you already know waking up in
the middle of the night having to get up and go to the
bathroom or having to shift positions in bed can present a
big problem or at least a major difficulty. I'd be
interested in hearing other comments and/or your solutions
to this problem.......ED H