10. Sleep Disorders: The Restless Nights of HD
Beyond the realm of wakefulness, Huntington’s disease leaves its mark on the domain of sleep as well. Sleep disorders are a common but often overlooked symptom in HD, causing significant distress and exacerbating other symptoms of the disease.
Sleep disturbances in HD can present in a variety of forms, each unique in its manifestation. Insomnia, the most common among them, is characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. This leads to inadequate rest, exacerbating daytime fatigue and impairing overall functioning.
Sleep may also be fragmented in HD, marked by frequent awakenings throughout the night. Individuals might experience vivid, often disturbing dreams that jolt them awake. Tossing and turning, restless legs, or periodic limb movements could further disrupt the continuity of sleep.
Paradoxically, excessive daytime sleepiness, where individuals feel persistently tired and fall asleep during the day, can also occur. This symptom, contrary to insomnia, hints at an underlying disruption in the body’s internal clock or ‘circadian rhythm’, leading to an altered sleep-wake cycle. (10)
