In Parkinson’s, as in many aspects of life, stress is
unhelpful: the more you are stressed, the worse your symptoms will appear to
be. And just as anyone can tremble if they are very stressed, so stress is likely
to exaggerate any tremor from your Parkinson’s.
It is actually quite difficult for any of us to recognise
when we are under stress. There may be occasions when your doctor thinks some of
your symptoms are related to stress, even though you yourself do not feel
particularly stressed at that time. Many people who are under stress also sleep
badly. Sleep is important in Parkinson’s and, like most other people, you will
probably feel better after a good rest. Keeping
active and learning how to relax are important but you should
consult your doctor if you have serious problems with sleeping.
