Major brain fatigue and exhaustion from changing sleep schedule
 

Hi everyone hope you are well and healing -
I really wanted to ask some advice. I am currently 2 years 5 months out from my initial concussion injury and have made some amazing progress . I have been having weeks of feeling very healthy and no symptoms however recently I just returned to school full time and have to be in class by 7 am . Now I realize that changing any sleep schedule requires patience and results in some morning tiredness however I am feeling intense brain fatigue and cloudiness that consumes me for most of the day . I remember years ago before my accident I had to get up early a lot and tho I was a little tired it was never ever the same intensity of mental fatigue and exhaustion that I am feeling now .
I drink very small amounts of caffeine bc I think it would interupt. My cycle more.
I guess what I'm asking is this a common post concussion experience to have such an additionally hard time changing a sleep pattern . The fatigue and fog I feel is overwhelmingly debilitating and even tho I keep trying to go to bed eqrly ( like at 10 pm) it doesn't seem to do the trick . I'm am worried I will have to drop some classes if things don't change soon. I remember early on in my recovery I had some of the same brain fatigue roll thru In cycles but I haven't experienced it this intensely in awhile . I also thought about trying some natural sleep supplements like valerian root or melatonin . I tried out of desperation to take some benedryl but it gave me horrible rebound anxiety .
It's like my body is so so more sensitive since my injury .
Any advice appreciated . A lot of people from my class are tired too with the early class schedule but I feel the kind of mental fatigue I'm experiencing is more intense then theirs. It's frusturating . Thanks lynn

i'm finding melatonin works pretty well for me, and i'm someone who swore nothing but ambien does the trick.