By Darrell L.
REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and the onset of PD
I stumbled on your site while probing the internet for info relating to a sleep disorder known as REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD). This has been a fixture in my life since I was a child...and has continued into my middle-aged years (I'm 37 now). At times it's been a mere curiosity as it doesn't noticeably disrupt my life to any great extent; however, in the resent years I've been sharing a bed with a partner who is somewhat less of a deep sleeper...so I've been hearing more about my night-time adventures. The curiosity took a bit of a turn when my reading suggested that RBD is a very common marker for the onset of PD. Statistics range from 80-90% of those who develop RBD receiving a PD diagnosis within 10 years. Interesting. From there, I started to investigate possible therapies/treatments. Currently, the sleep disorder could be considered ideopathic. Very little is known about the origins. Aside from lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, caffiene/alcohol intake, sleep hygiene, etc.), Clonazepam is recommended. There's an aversion to this treatment for obvious reasons. Melatonin is another potential option, as is, full spectrum CBD. Beyond these suggestions, there's not much else; however, Clonazepam is used to treat anxiety, so it got me thinking about the potential emotional links that may be embedded in the disorder. This got me thinking about Gabor Mate and his book, ''When the body says No.'' So, with PD and Gabor, I found you!
Such a wealth of information. I've only just scratched the surface, but feel a wellspring of gratitude that it's here. Just delving into the Polyvagal theory...and trying to put together some ideas for a course of action. I don't know that I'll develop PD, but so much of the material here rings true for me...so it's got me thinking about what I can do now.
I'm wondering if you've got any material on this link that exists (PD and RBD)...or if within your network you've encountered those who have story that's similar to mine.
Thank you so much for sharing your own journey. Such a helpful resource.