We spend about 1/3 of our lives asleep! Sleep allows our body to heal, remodel tissue, repair cells, balance hormones, muscle recovery, memory storing, and so much more. These processes become even more important following a concussion; sleep is the best time for your brain cells to heal from the concussive injury. The more healing and remodeling that occurs, the less symptoms you have, and the quicker you can get back to doing the things you love.
Over 80% of people that experience a concussion report difficulty sleeping. A variety of sleep disturbances can occur and sleep issues vary greatly between people.
Listen to this 3 minute NPR story on how concussions can affect sleep.
Common mechanisms that disrupt sleep in the post-concussed brain include:
1. Cellular Injury and Inflammation
Changes in neurotransmitter production affect how cells communicate with each other.
GABA (gamma-aminobutryic acid)
Histamine
Orexine
2. Injury to the hypothalamus
Changes in sleep hormones
3. Autonomic Changes
Changes in heart rate, blood pressure and temperature regulation
Poor sleep patterns and sleep quality can effect how you function during the day. Some examples include:
Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep
Day time fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Decreased coordination
Interference with problem solving, memory, critical thinking, and communication
Common sleep diagnoses follow a concussion include:
1. Hypersomnia: over-sleeping:
Increased total time sleeping: at night and napping during the day
Feeling of fatigue no matter how much sleep you get
You may not enter into stage 3/deep sleep cycle
2. Insomnia: under-sleeping
Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep
3. Narcolepsy: sudden, daytime sleep episodes
4. Sleep apnea: breathing repeatedly stops and stops during sleep
5. Hypothalmus Dysfunction: fatigue, weakness, lack of interest in things, headache, loss of vision, unusually high or low BP, frequent thirst, body temperature fluctuations
Each person and concussion is different therefore each sleep disturbance is different. Recognizing that sleep disturbances are common and that you are not alone is the first step. The next steps of tracking symptoms, making changes, and improving your sleep can take some time and effort.
If you have experienced a concussion and are having trouble sleeping, make an appointment today to improve your sleep quality, increase wakefulness, and improve function.
Dr Jessica Klain PT, DPT, COMT, CSCS, OCS, CNPT
Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS)
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist (COMT)
Certified Nutritional Physical Therapist (CNPT)
Certified Vestibular Specialist
Certified Concussion Specialist
Trigger Point Dry Needling Certified, Level 1&2
Certified Yoga Teacher
University of Florida, Doctorate in Physical Therapy (2009)
The Ohio State University, Bachelor of Science in Biology (2006)
Call/text: 720-295-0060
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