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Symptoms, treatment & support strategies (10 mins)
Symptoms, treatment & support strategies (10 mins)
Symptoms
Symptoms
People with MJD have a lot of trouble sleeping, which affects their health, well-being and quality of life.
Overcrowded housing, needing to go to the toilet, and/or needing medication through the night can also impact on a person's sleep.
Watch the video to hear people with MJD describe their sleep.
Restless leg syndrome
Restless leg syndrome
'Restless leg syndrome' is when a person feels pain and discomfort in their legs, and they feel like they need to move their body to feel better. The restlessness can become worse when someone is laying down or sleeping, making it really difficult to sleep properly.
REM behaviour disorder
REM behaviour disorder
REM behaviour disorder causes people to have very vivid dreams and nightmares. As a result, people may move around a lot during the night, scream, swear or behave unusually, especially soon after falling asleep or early in the morning. The dreams and nightmares may also wake them up throughout the night.
Obstructive sleep apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea
Due to the effects of MJD on muscle control, the throat muscles may over-relax when a person is sleeping, causing the throat wall to collapse and block their airway. As a result, when a person with MJD is sleeping, they can repeatedly stop breathing for 20-40 seconds at a time. This is a very uncomfortable sensation, and can also lead to snoring, which can disrupt both their sleep and the sleep of any other people in the house.
All these sleep problems can lead to insomnia (not being able to sleep) and can have a significant impact on the energy and general daytime functioning of people with MJD. It also affects their overall well-being and mood, and can result in disruptions to routines.
Family members, who often act as carers, may also have trouble sleeping. They may need to help reposition the person with MJD throughout the night, and/or they may be disturbed by the person’s restless movements or snoring. It can also be very worrying and distressing in general to watch a loved-one experiencing the symptoms of MJD. These pressures can leave carers feeling extremely tired and low in energy, which can all result in carer and family breakdown.
📝 Activity
📝 Activity
Click on the 'read' button below to open up the 'sleep symptoms, treatment & support strategies' booklet. Click on the arrows (< >) to move through the pages, and then answer the quiz questions to test your understanding.
Want to know more?
Want to know more?
Select the 'Help Sheet' buttons to access further information about sleep studies and sleep disturbances for people living with MJD.
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