Understanding Behavior in HD.final.8-18-05 - Huntington's Disease ...

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time in bed to get adequate rest. A shift in the body’s daily rhythms occurs which makes adults prone to
waking in the early morning and fatigued in the early evening.
Many persons with Huntington’s Disease complain of disturbed sleep. Although the reason for this is not
fully understood, there are some causes of disturbed sleep that can respond to medical treatment. Thus, all
problems of this sort should be promptly examined by a doctor. Restlessness, wandering and disturbances in
sleep are often just a part of the progressing disease and may not respond to medical treatments. All family
members need to practice good sleep hygiene because poor sleep can lead to memory impairment, inability to
concentrate, interpersonal problems and increased risk of serious illness and accidents.
STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE A GOOD NIGHT’S REST
• Maintain a regular schedule, rising and retiring at the same time every day.
• Make the bedroom conducive to sleep by having it cool, quiet and dark at night, but full of light in the
morning.
• Avoid excessive napping in the early evening.
• Eat a proper diet that is devoid of heavy, hard-to-digest food as well as alcohol, salty foods, and stimulants
(coffee, chocolate, tobacco) before bedtime.
• Exercise regularly, but not within two to three hours of bedtime because it can cause overstimulation.
• When using over-the-counter sleep medications, do it sparingly. Never use them for more than four days
unless directed by a physician. One becomes tolerant to the effects of sleep medications over time. That is,
if they are used frequently they do not work as well. Too much use of some of these medications can lead
to addiction.
• Discuss your medication schedule with your physician. Certain antidepressants and asthma drugs may be
too stimulating for before-bedtime use. Try to minimize the number of medications being used.
• Take a warm shower or bath before going to bed. This will ease the transition to sleep.
• To reduce night wakening due to a full bladder, limit the amount you drink after dinner. Make sure to use
the toilet before bed.
• Establish a safe environment in case of night-time wandering. There are a number of ways to make it hard
to get out of the house or yard without using restraints (e.g., bells on doors, hard-to-open doorknobs,
deadbolt locks, oddly placed latches)