Sleep, Parkinson Disease (PD), and Yoga Nidra By Dawn A. Loftin, M.A., C-IAYT, E-RYT 200, RYT 500

Why Sleep?

Sleep is essential to our existence. Not only does sleep make us feel refreshed, it is pivotal for cognition, memory, learning, and every major system, tissue and organ in the body. Our brain is programmed to be self-healing without any conscious effort from us when allowed to receive 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night.

But the lack of sleep will unravel our bodies natural ability to fight sleep disorders. Sleep disorders seen in Parkinson patients include insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), and REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD).1

REM Sleep

REM Sleep makes up ~25% of your sleep cycle and first occurs about 70 to 90 minutes after you fall asleep repeating several times during the night. It strengthens neural connections; integrating and interconnecting past experience and building an accurate model of the world we live in. REM Sleep is where innovative insights and problem-solving abilities arise from.2 This is why sometime when you go to sleep with a problem on your mind, your subconscious mind solves it and you wake up with the solution.

Also, in REM sleep there is a phenomenon called atonia; which is a muscle activity disabling the signal sent from the brain stem down the spine to disengage muscles. Atonia is nature’s way to keep us safe from hurting ourselves or others while dreaming. People with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) have lost this protective mechanism. It is estimated RBD is present in 24-50% of Parkinson patients.3 RDB may cause a patient to fall out of bed in the middle of the night and some episodes result in arousal from sleep.4 Additionally, RBD can predate initial motor symptoms by years and is one of the best-known biomarkers for Parkinson disease.5

Non-REM Sleep

Non-REM Sleep is most active early in the night and acts like a gardener weeding out and removing unnecessary neural connections and making space for new experiences and learning connections.6 The slow Non-REM waves act like a mail courier transferring recent memories to a more permanent and safer location. During the period of sleep, there is a “sleep spindle” that shields the brain from external noises helping to keep us from waking up. There is a burst of brain wave activity starting at the mid-frontal lobe moving toward the back of the brain. The tail end of the burst is a slow methodical wave or rhythm. The more powerful and frequent this burst, the less chance of the person waking up. This burst of brain wave activity is also responsible for preventative health measures and nocturnal repairs in every major system within our body.

Disease and the aging process begins to deteriorate our Non-REM sleep and because of this; the quality of our electrical brainwaves that originate in the mid-frontal lobe begin to become fewer and fewer as well as weaker.

This may be one reason for Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) in Parkinson patients. It is thought to be partially due to the reduction in the levels of neurotransmitters. Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) can also contribute to insomnia due to periodic leg movements which wake the sleeper. This may also contribute to daytime sleepiness and fatigue by having an irregular sleep-wake routine which causes sleepiness during the day and insomnia at night.7

Co-existing depression and anxiety can result in sleep fragmentation and early morning awakenings.8 Depression is lesser known symptom of Parkinson’s and is common in up to 50% of the Parkinson population.9

Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep)

Yoga Nidra is a sublime science of complete relaxation rooted in a vast body of knowledge from ancient traditions. Because Yoga Nidra is a convergence between sleep and meditation, it may be practiced lying down or seated; any way you can be comfortable.

Specifically, Yoga Nidra represents a state in which an individual demonstrates all the symptoms of deep, Non-REM sleep, including delta brain waves, while simultaneously remaining fully conscious.10 Simply put, brain waves are electrical charges in the brain that are fluid depending on what we are thinking and feeling. Delta brain waves allow for healing, rejuvenation, revitalization of the brain and the strengthening of the immune system.

Dawn teaches yoga nidra based on the traditions of the Himalayan Masters and Rod Stryker’s Enlightened Sleep. These practices of Yoga Nidra helps resolve issues linked to lack of deep rest as well as mental and emotional challenges. While practicing Yoga Nidra, we rest in a dreamless sleep know as Stage 3 Non-REM sleep where deep healing and renewal take place. It is possible that 30 minutes of yoga nidra can offer 1-2 hours of normal sleep.11 Yoga Nidra is not limited to improving our health, it can also awaken untapped potential.

Preparing for Yoga Nidra begins with light joint and gland exercises practiced with effortlessness and heightened awareness of non-doing while remaining alert to sensation. We also prepare with controlled breathing (pranayama) to clear the energetic pathways to heighten awareness.

The practice of Yoga Nidra for Sleep will begin by transitioning from the external world to the internal world. Next, we will let go of all holding, constriction and restriction in the body. Plan for several minutes of belly breathing to induce a state of relaxation by being aware of the breath and the rise and fall of the belly. During the practice, allow my instructions to wash over you as we practice a rotation of consciousness melting into spacious awareness which allows stillness deep sleep.

Resources:
1. P;, B. P. (2017). Sleep and parkinson disease. Missouri medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30228640/
2. Walker, Matthew P. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc, 2018.
3. P;, B. P. (2017). Sleep and parkinson disease. Missouri medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30228640/
4. Ibid
5. Ibid
6. Walker, Matthew P. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc, 2018.
7. P;, B. P. (2017). Sleep and parkinson disease. Missouri medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30228640/
8. Ibid
9. Ibid
10. Parker, S., Bharati, S. V., & Fernandez, M. (2013). Defining yoga-nidra: traditional accounts, physiological research, and future directions. International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 23(1), 11–16.
11. Stryker, R. (2017, May 5). Yoga Nidra: Relax into Greatness. Carbondale.