Pharmacological and Non-pharmacological Treatments of Sleep Disorders in Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

Sleep disorders are one of the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). It can cause a notable decrease in quality of life and functioning in PD patients, as well as place a huge burden on both patients and caregivers. The most cited sleep disorders in PD included insomnia, restless legs syndrome (RLS), rapid eye movement (REM), sleep behavior disorders (RBD), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and sleep disordered breathing (SDB), which can appear alone or several at the same time. In this review, we listed the recommended pharmacological treatments for common sleep disorders in PD, and discussed the recommended dosages, benefits and side effects of relative drugs. We also discussed non-pharmacological treatments to improve sleep quality, including sleep hygiene education, exercise, deep brain stimulation, cognitive behavior therapy and complementary therapies. We tried to find proper interventions for different types of sleep disorders in PD, while minimizing relative side effects.

Keywords: Parkinson's disease; RBD; excessive daytime sleepiness; insomnia; non-pharmacological treatments.; pharmacological treatments; restless legs syndrome; sleep disordered breathing.