That friend's dad was completely wrong. Many struggle with PCS for months, some even a year or 2. It just depends on their specific injury and what they can and can't do during their recovery.

It is important for you to get good sleep on a normal schedule. Getting up at the same time each day helps the body's sleep clock so you can get to sleep. Do not sleep in/late even if you feel tired. Get up. Then, at night, slow or reduce your activity level so you recognize when you feel sleepy. Have your bedroom and any tasks done so when you feel sleepy, you can just get in bed and sleep. Stopping to do hygiene, turn off lights throughout your condo, get sleep clothes on, etc. can disrupt the sleepiness. For some, we need to have everything ready a half hour to an hour before we go to bed.

Just remember, the most important part of getting to sleep and sleeping well is getting up at the same time each morning. Sleeping in, even if it is just on weekends, disrupts this sleepiness cycle.

Proper sleep means one gets all of the stages of sleep. REM sleep and slow wave sleep are imperative to recovery.

I slept lousy last night and know it will make my day lousy. My wife was up too late watching the Olympics and it interrupted my routine.