University of Kent Launches New Clinic Which Will Help Improve Parkinson’s Patients’ Sleep

A new Sleep and Wellbeing Clinic, which aims to help those with Parkinson’s disease improve their daily sleep hygiene and overall sleep quality will launch at the Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy.

It’s reported that 70-90% of Parkinsons patients, or those with other long-term neurological conditions experience sleep disturbances with most common appearing symptoms including insomnia, REM (Rapid Eye Movement), sleep behaviour disorder, restless leg syndrome, excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep disordered breathing.

It is understood that these problems typically arise because of neurodegeneration, motor dysfunction (e.g. tremors) as well as non-motor (e.g. anxiety and depression) symptoms.

In response to this, the University of Kent’s Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy, has launched a new Sleep and Wellbeing Clinic, to help these individuals improve their daily sleep hygiene and overall sleep quality. A strong community of researchers will strive to achieve breakthrough developments.

The Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy team, where the new Sleep and Wellbeing clinic is based on the University of Kent’s Canterbury campus, believe that by implementing a range of sleep hygiene practices and regular reviews, sleep disturbances amongst patients can be significantly alleviated and sleep quality improved.

At the new Sleep and Wellbeing clinic, Parkinson’s patients will undergo a series of assessments and tests to monitor, measure and improve their sleep, including comprehensive studies undertaken in a sleep lab to analyse sleep targets and identify specific sleep disruptions or abnormalities.

Within the sleep lab, experts can also implement circadian lighting systems, using blue-hued lights which encourages wakefulness and blue filtered lights in the evening which assists better sleep.

Gurprit Lall, Director of the Sleep and Wellbeing Clinic and Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Kent and a world-leading expert on biological rhythms and circadian neurobiology, explained:

“We aim to promote healthy sleep through education and personalised, non-pharmacological strategies. We will provide participants with an understanding of sleep hygiene, healthy sleep habits and basic information on how the human body uses external signals to maintain good quality sleep.

“Using data from sleep diaries, activity profiles, and light exposure patterns, we will develop client-centred advice to empower individuals to optimise their sleep and wellbeing, thereby enhancing overall quality of life.

“We will also conduct a number of tests and assessments based on the patient’s needs and bespoke to individuals. These will help build robust sleep architectures, thereby enhancing overall quality of life.”

The new University of Kent Sleep and Wellbeing Clinic’s Co-Directors are Aiste Steponenaite, Aadesh Dave and Media Zanganeh from the Medway School of Pharmacy. 

Whilst the clinic is currently only available to Parkinson’s patients, and individuals with long-term neurological conditions, it is hoped that in time the service will be expanded to include everyone.