Sleep

How many others have trouble sleeping

[sospan]

This could be like the scene from Spartacus where everyone shouts "I am ....."

Lack of sleep is one of the most common facets of a head injury.

Is there anything about the lack of sleep that is particularly troublesome ?

[Hidden in reply to sospan]

Me three. My broken sleep is around 28 hours a week and I wonder for how long this can last without serious damage to my health

[sospan in reply to Hidden]

Not very long.

I created a post last week about not following my own advice about rest. I was getting 3 to 4 hours sleep a night and on the 3rd February I started to get atrial fibrillation and they put me on blood thinning medication. Caused by lack of sleep and too much stress. I could have managed it a bit better than I did.

What a "sleep doctor" (bizarrely they are called that in the NHS) advised was to do the things we all know helps a Head injury cut down on tea coffee, sugary food, reduce screen time etc. One thing he did recommend is a walk for 90 mins mid afternoon. Apparently doing that has a significant positive impact on the nights sleep. I used to do this until Easter last year when I damaged my knees and couldn't walk.

After that we tried a product called Bimuno which is a plant fibre. You take this before going to bed at night. It was working quite well and both my wife and I would find we drifted off to sleep much quicker.

My wife was then in two more accidents and it all fell apart pre Christmas

I would recommend the afternoon walk and a trial of Bimuno - they offer free samples and are aware of this website

[Charlie90]

Can you give more details on you sleeping habits? What is the actual problem The environment you sleep in is so importantSleeping in a room with as low stimulation as possible I had a black out blind fitted that was Monet well spent for me it made such a differe I use an eye mask and ear plugs to block any sound or light out

[Pairofboots in reply to Charlie90]

I've had two periods of sleep problems. The first start three months into recovery, that was a period of nine months, I would catch the odd cat nap, but eventually I was referred to a sleep clinic. Best nights kip I had in months. They started me on medication.

The second time was when the GP messed with the medication, wasn't as long, but considering I was still very unwell, it crushed me. New meds added, problem solved, but this does mean that after a certain time, it's life Jim, but not as you know it.

I had a recent blip but that was down to one of my meds not being available in the formulation I am used to, it's a bit of a backward step as things have to settle.

[Hidden in reply to Charlie90]

I sleep and then wake up thirty minutes later, cannot sleep again. This happens several times a night. Leave my phone downstairs and do all the right things. Don’t do social media only here. Have black out curtains the right temperature

[Warmbeetroot]

Hi,

The following has helped me after three weeks of about 2 hours a night.

- calming teas

- Ashwaganda

- red light filter glasses and no blue light

- magnesium

- Journalling any over thinking and/Or planning for tomorrow

- breathing patterns, pranayama and box set, progressive

- meditative/ hypnosis work, mainly by Michael Sealey

- Yoga, accessing your parasympathetic nervous system

Google all of the above - they all work yet unsure which works for you. I am also unsure if one in particular works or they all accumulatively do. If I had to pick one it would undoubtedly by Michael Sealey YouTube sleep hypnosis - sends me off without fail.

I went crazy with no sleep and my issues are certainly heightened and recovery non progressive when I fail to sleep well. Especially hard with a 2 year old!!

Best of luck to your healing and sleep.

[Hidden in reply to Warmbeetroot]

Amitriptyline is what my go suggested maybe tonight

[Warmbeetroot in reply to Hidden]

Plenty of natural methods of help. Also I forgot exercise, but not too late. If has to be late, take cold shower to cool body back down a degree or two to help sleep. Best

[Hidden in reply to Warmbeetroot]

I have tried everything. Exercise wakes me up. Same for a shower or bath