I recorded this video after a night of no sleep—zero, nada, zilch. My restless legs got the better of me; and so I worked through the night, thinking they’d calm down, but alas…
This is me awake for 32 hours. Thankfully, in four hours, I will have crashed. If you’re interested in what sleep deprivation does to a human, check out this Sleep Cycle feature HERE. Spoiler alert: it’s not pretty.
Disordered sleep is among the top non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. As a person with Parkinson’s, I am keen to share my experience—warts and all.
For instance, although the insomnia dance party wasn’t my idea of a good time, I was sure that much of it was due to my imminent monthly cycle. Thanks to the team research at My Moves Matter, I know that falling levels of oestrogen can, in part, lower dopamine levels, which can exacerbate symptoms for a few days before my period.
Without this critical data (thanks to MMM’s Richelle Flanagan), especially in the early days of my diagnosis, I would have assumed this was a worsening of my condition, not a consequence of menstruating.
In my small but passionate bid to help understand (and eradicate) the shapeshifter that is Parkinson’s Disease, I’m taking part in a special fundraising event with Parkinson’s Ireland.
A Walk in the Park for Parkinson’s takes place on Saturday, September 21st, involving ten nationwide chapters of Parkinson’s Ireland helping to get people moving and raise awareness of the disease which affects 15,000 people in Ireland.
How can you take part? I thought you’d never ask. Go to the Parkinson’s Ireland website to register: buy a ticket, find out what your chapter is doing, fundraise, donate—do whatever you can and help us help others live well with Parkinson’s today. Maybe one day, a cure will be found.
Until then… 🌷
Wanted: A Walk in the Park for Parkinson's