Poor Sleep and Reduced Quality of Life in Parkinson's Patients: Study Finds - Video
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Overview
A new study by researchers found that an overwhelming 84% of patients with Parkinson's disease report struggling with sleep issues. The findings were published in the Journal of Sleep Research.
The research team analysed data from over 38,000 Parkinson’s patients. This comprehensive database includes valuable insights into the patients’ experiences with Parkinson’s, as well as details on their mental health, cognition and sleep patterns. The findings revealed that 84% of patients with Parkinson’s disease report struggling with sleep issues—significantly higher than the general population of the same age group.
The study highlights the direct consequences of these sleep problems: they were found to be strongly linked to increased symptoms of depression, greater difficulty with independent living and an overall decline in quality of life. Furthermore, sleep disturbances were found to worsen the severity of “OFF periods,” the times when the effects of Parkinson’s medication diminish, leaving patients vulnerable to a return of debilitating symptoms.
Maynooth University's Prof Andrew Coogan, who is one of the authors of the study said: “Sleep problems are a significant burden to quality of life in a number of chronic health conditions. Our study shows how important sleep is to address in Parkinson’s disease, one of the most common and debilitating brain diseases.”
Reference: Asadpoordezaki, Z., Henley, B. M., & Coogan, A. N. (2025). Prevalence and associations of self-reported sleep problems in a large sample of patients with Parkinson's disease. Journal of Sleep Research, e14453. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14453
Speakers
Dr. Bhumika Maikhuri
BDS, MDS
Dr Bhumika Maikhuri is a Consultant Orthodontist at Sanjeevan Hospital, Delhi. She is also working as a Correspondent and a Medical Writer at Medical Dialogues. She completed her BDS from Dr D Y patil dental college and MDS from Kalinga institute of dental sciences. Apart from dentistry, she has a strong research and scientific writing acumen. At Medical Dialogues, She focusses on medical news, dental news, dental FAQ and medical writing etc.