Symptom 7: Sleep Disturbances – The Broken Slumber
Sleep, often considered a refuge after a long day, becomes a battleground for those battling Huntington’s disease. The comforting blanket of slumber becomes riddled with disturbances, turning nights into periods of unrest rather than rest. This is the often overlooked symptom of Huntington’s disease – sleep disturbances, a crucial aspect of the disorder that significantly impacts the quality of life.
The manifestation of sleep disturbances in Huntington’s disease is multi-faceted. Individuals may grapple with insomnia, finding themselves tossing and turning, unable to surrender to sleep’s beckoning call. Lying wide awake in the dead of night, the world fast asleep around them, the individuals find themselves confronting their worst fears and discomforts, making sleep elusive.
In addition to insomnia, those with Huntington’s disease may frequently wake up during the night. The tranquility of their dreams is regularly disrupted, causing them to hover in the frustrating space between sleep and wakefulness. They’re not entirely awake to engage with the world, yet they’re too awake to retreat into the soothing realm of sleep.
Daytime, however, does not bring much reprieve either. Despite nights of broken sleep, individuals with Huntington’s disease often experience excessive daytime sleepiness. They feel an overwhelming sense of fatigue shrouding them, pulling them towards unplanned, unsatisfying spells of sleep during the day. Daily activities become strenuous, their performance at work or school suffers, and the joy of life gradually dims.
Lastly, irregular sleep patterns are another facet of sleep disturbances in Huntington’s disease. The individual’s internal body clock, which dictates when to sleep and when to wake up, goes haywire. They may find themselves wide awake during the small hours of the night and overwhelmingly sleepy when the world is buzzing with activity. This disruption of the circadian rhythm leads to a state of constant lethargy, further worsening the physical and emotional symptoms of Huntington’s disease. (7)
