Yes, waking up early is one of the most common symptoms of PCS.

Like Mark said, you should consider a supplement such as 5-HTP to improve your quality of sleep and your sleep cycle. This symptom might also resolve in a few months as you recover more and more from your PCS.

Have a good day,
-ProAgonist

Hi, it's been a little while and I just wondered how folk are getting on with their early waking problem?

Mine seems to pretty darn stubborn so I'm going to try the 5HTP again before bed, probably a couple of hours before to give it time to work.

I'm sorry to track backwards in the discussion but...

mouse, may I ask about your 5 months with insomnia?

Did this go away gradually or did you find relief from anything in particular?

So many of us have sleep problems and as we all know, sleep is essential for recovery. In fact it's really important to help us function whether we have had a head injury or not. I of course realize everyone is different and sleep patterns do change for so many reasons.

Same here. I always wake up at the same time (5 am). After that it's sometimes a real struggle to fall asleep again. Didn't have that issue before my concussions.

Have you guys who wake up at 5 am or so tried eating a snack of complex carbs or protein before bed ? Your brains may be needing energy. The energy from food only lasts 7 to 8 hours, even less for some. Then, the liver needs to release ketones to feed the brain. If the ketones are not enough, the brain becomes energy deficient and may wake up. This is even more problematic if your body is not good at using fat for energy.

I will give it a try. However i didn't have that problems before. Do you mean the brain needs more energy because of the injury?

Same here Chris2828, 5 am is a familiar time, before I would just turn over and fall asleep if I woke (which was rarely ever) but now it's sooo hard to get off again. I notice that when I wake within seconds I'm alert and not sleepy any more but if I do eventually fall asleep again, usually after eating some banana or yoghurt, when I wake I'm really sleepy and relaxed, strange.

As I was reading about blood sugar levels and sleep, it was suggested that those who eat smaller meals more often during the day tend to have more problems with this.

Brain injuries can change the way or the efficiency of how the brain cells metabolization of sugar. This could explain it. Some have tried MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) oil. The brain easily metabolizes MCT's. Coconut oil has good MCT concentrations.

Lara,

During these five months I would wake up at 1 or 2am and remain awake throughout the night. The breakthrough for me was Cymbalta, it cured this instantly.

I am only on 30mg of Cymbalta, which I take in the morning. I might switch this round to night now as I still wake at 5 or 6am at the minute.

5 a.m. For me also on good days.

Bud