Insomnia, loss of weight Concussion
 

7 weeks ago I suffer an concussion (slip and fall accident). The symptoms I showed immediately were panic attack and insomnia. Today I feel like my symptoms improved. I rarely get any panic attacks.

But I'm still suffering from insomnia and loss of appetite / hunger. There are some nights where i will get 5 hours of sleep and other nighs where i will get only 1 hour of sleep. I took vitamin regimen advice 6 weeks ago. In regards to loss of appetite I also had loss lots of weight (20pounds, was 200 before now at 180).

I really don't want depend on benzo or sleeping meds because they are on detrimental on the brain.

For me, getting to sleep and staying asleep takes planning. I need to start settling down hours before trying to sleep. It can take me 3 to 5 hours of settling down to be ready to sleep, depending on the activity level of the day.

Last night, I watched the Boise State Broncos football game that ended at 11:30 pm. I could not get to sleep until after 3 am.

Having a late dinner can also make getting to sleep difficult. I can munch on food during the late evening but a full meal will delay my sleeping. I do need to have a bed time snack to sleep well. I tend to have low blood sugar. I need a late night complex carb snack so I have the food energy to sleep.

I can overdo this and easily put on weight during normal times. Right now, I am enduring a very high nervous stress load and am losing weight. A common snack is whole wheat toast with butter, chunky peanut butter and cinnamon with a bit of sugar to help the cinnamon shake evenly. I've also done this on tortillas.

A banana with peanut butter on it also helps.

For those who can afford it, Glucerna makes drinks/shakes that provide a slow absorption of energy. They are designed for diabetics but the need for sustained energy is the same. PCS can mess up metabolic systems so it is worth trying different ways to maintain weight and 'fuel' sleep.

I also use non-stimulating visual and audio sensations. TV or a audio CD. Personally, I do better with both audio and video. As I settle down, I close my eyes to just listen.

I have a friend in Brain Injury Support Group who has a TV in the high corner in his bedroom. He watches old movies or other non-stimulating shows to settle down to sleep. His wife knows and understand how much he needs this situation to fall asleep.

I have a headset to listen to TV so the sound has been muted so my wife is not disturbed. I've used the wireless head sets, both IR (infrared) and RF (radio frequency on an FM frequency). Both work but I have hardwired a head set to my TV. There are rechargeable headsets that are pricey but save the cost of batteries.

The concept is to occupy the brain with sensations that reduce the 'constant thinking' that makes sleep near impossible. Think of mind numbing sensations.

I have to get to a sleep mode in my easy chair so my wife is asleep when I go to bed. Otherwise, my breathing irregularities keep her from sleeping. She has her own sleep hygiene protocol she follows.

Look up sleep hygiene and you will find more tips.

btw, Magnesium, calcium to help the magnesium, L-Tryptophan, melatonin, and a few other supplements can help.

It also helps me to sleep in soft and consistent pajamas. I sleep in all cotton with very soft acrylic or microfiber bedding. Any unusual sensation with grab the focus of my brain and prevent me from sleeping. I also need to have all mental tasks completed. Writing notes for the next morning lets me let go of things I need to remember for tomorrow. I used to sleep in acrylic gloves because my carpal tunnel syndrome made my hands feel inconsistent.

The simple point is to do what it takes to let your brain forget about the world. The concussed brain usually struggles to filter out these distractions so we need to do the filtering and blocking of the distractions.

Hopefully, others will have some tips.

My best to you.

Mark,

Thank you for your comprehensive post. I will look into sleep hygiene

Update:

Sleep well last night, woke up refreshed. I took Mark's advice and took melatonin, magnesium, amino acids, and B-complex supplements before bed. It really helped me sleep last night