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Old 05-16-2018, 08:44 AM #1
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Default Almost 6 months after concussion - sudden insomnia came back

Hi,

I had a concussion almost 6 months ago, and my dominant symptoms left remain my vision.

During the first months after the concussion, i had some trouble sleeping. It got much better for a few months of recovery.

However, 2 days go, the insomnia suddenly came back, this time much more severe. And I haven't slept for the past two days. I feel tired. However, it seems like my brain can't just go into sleep mode. The back of my head feels tingling.

Is it normal for concussion recovery, especially when most of my symptoms have gotten much better?

I am taking several supplements to help my recovery, including 5-htp, L-theanin, and Magnesium. It appears that my sleep was improved for a couple of months. A sudden symptom coming back scares me.

Thanks,
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Old 05-16-2018, 09:21 AM #2
Mark in Idaho Mark in Idaho is offline
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What is going on in your mind when you cannot get to sleep?

I need a low intensity distraction to help my mind relax so sleep can follow. I watch TV or Netflix or YouTube and let my mind drift off. I know others who need to do this. Low intensity programs/videos allow the brain to get bored and drift off.

I hope this helps.
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Old 05-16-2018, 09:27 AM #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho View Post
What is going on in your mind when you cannot get to sleep?

I need a low intensity distraction to help my mind relax so sleep can follow. I watch TV or Netflix or YouTube and let my mind drift off. I know others who need to do this. Low intensity programs/videos allow the brain to get bored and drift off.

I hope this helps.
Hi Mark,

I tried that but it didn't help me, unfortunately. It feels like my brain is energized/ charged to do stuff. When I started falling asleep, my leg jerks and my body relaxes but my brain refuses to driff off.

The weird thing is that this suddenly started when i felt like I am almost recovered from the concussion. I am not sure if it is a compensation system of the brain going on. I haven't had trouble falling asleep for months.

It also might be an anxiety of the second night after the first night not sleeping.
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Old 05-16-2018, 04:11 PM #4
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Two nights of insomnia does not establish a pattern.

I also take 300 mgs of Gabapentin to help my mind let go. It just takes that alertness away. It does not make me drowsy. I had to take 1200 mgs in the beginning. If this insomnia continues, you could ask to try gabapentin at a low dose.
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Old 05-18-2018, 11:39 AM #5
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After one night of 12 hours sleep thanks to amitryptaline 10mg and a foggy weird day following that, I still couldn't sleep tonight. I could drift off but i couldn't just sleep. And i took ami before bed as well.

There were tremors and tingling throughout my body and at the back of my head. I wonder if this comes from the concussion. This sudden onset sucks. I wonder if it comes from season changing as well.

I might go get some acupuncture tomorrow, then book an appointment with a sleep clinic for assessment.
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Old 05-18-2018, 01:15 PM #6
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There are sleep & relaxation videos on you tube , you can explore and find ones that work for you. ASMR videos for sleep & relaxation also..
Warm/Hot bath/shower
Epson salts in tub
Magnesium
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Old 05-18-2018, 03:28 PM #7
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How is your upper neck?
Disrupting blood flow to the brain with neck inflammation can disrupt sleep.

What position do you usually sleep in?
Have you tried other positions?
When you go to bed, do you feel sleepy?
Are you getting up at the same time each morning?
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Old 05-18-2018, 03:45 PM #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho View Post
How is your upper neck?
Disrupting blood flow to the brain with neck inflammation can disrupt sleep.

What position do you usually sleep in?
Have you tried other positions?
When you go to bed, do you feel sleepy?
Are you getting up at the same time each morning?

I am not sure if my neck is alright or not. I feel like this might be because of the neck because the night i suddenly had insomnia, i wasn't careful with my neck position while watching TV.

The tingling at the back of head and tingling, twitches at arms and legs, and sometimes back is caused by neck problems, do you think?

I usually side sleep, elevating my neck over my hands. I have been trying several positions during those sleepless nights but i still couldn't fall asleep. When i placed my hands below my head, i could hear very heavy rapid pulses.

When I went to bed usually, I could fall asleep within 30 minutes.

However, during the past week, I could feel that my brain refuses to naturally drifts from getting sleepy, getting hypnic twitches then to sleep. Like, I felt the process of drifting off, I felt the hypnic twiches but i couldn't push it further to sleep. I'm not sure why. It used to be easy and natural. My brain just refuses to switch off naturally.

I wake up exactly the same time every morning. Waking up on time has never been an issue for me. I used to wake up during the night once or twice though, but i could fall asleep easily again.
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Old 05-18-2018, 04:11 PM #9
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First, sleeping on your hands is not good for your hands or your wrists or your jaw (TMJ).

It sounds like you would benefit from taking your pulse and blood pressure before bed or when you have these episodes. You may have something triggering an increased heart rate and BP. It lead me to think about anxiety.

Proper sleep hygiene should prepare you to fall asleep within a few minutes. Settle the house with low lights, quiet sounds, finish any pre-bed routines 1/2 hour before your targeted bed time. If you have any tasks that need to be done the next day that you may be tempted to think about, write some notes of your last thoughts and reminders. Writing things down allows the mind to let go better. Then, spend that 1/2 hour settling down, no conversation, no cell phone, non-stimulating TV,

I used to watch a music video that grabbed both my auditory and visual attention in a mild manner. maybe a repetitive music or video that does not excite you. As soon as you feel a sleepy sensation, quietly get in bed. If something triggers you awake, get up and get settled into sleepy again then go to bed. Lying in bed fighting wakefulness is counter to getting to sleep.

When PCS causes insomnia, it can take work to find a system that works.

I found my best posture was flat on my back with a pillow curled up around my ears. It provided that sensation against my face that helps me drift to sleep. I learned to sleep on my back by sleeping in a recliner with a pillow curled around my face. I had shoulder trouble so I had to learn to not roll onto my shoulders. Learning to sleep this way changed my life. I usually fall asleep in minutes and sleep soundly until I naturally wake up, often in the same position. A sleep therapist who presented to my brain injury support group said this is the best sleep.
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Old 05-18-2018, 04:24 PM #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho View Post
First, sleeping on your hands is not good for your hands or your wrists or your jaw (TMJ).

It sounds like you would benefit from taking your pulse and blood pressure before bed or when you have these episodes. You may have something triggering an increased heart rate and BP. It lead me to think about anxiety.

Proper sleep hygiene should prepare you to fall asleep within a few minutes. Settle the house with low lights, quiet sounds, finish any pre-bed routines 1/2 hour before your targeted bed time. If you have any tasks that need to be done the next day that you may be tempted to think about, write some notes of your last thoughts and reminders. Writing things down allows the mind to let go better. Then, spend that 1/2 hour settling down, no conversation, no cell phone, non-stimulating TV,

I used to watch a music video that grabbed both my auditory and visual attention in a mild manner. maybe a repetitive music or video that does not excite you. As soon as you feel a sleepy sensation, quietly get in bed. If something triggers you awake, get up and get settled into sleepy again then go to bed. Lying in bed fighting wakefulness is counter to getting to sleep.

When PCS causes insomnia, it can take work to find a system that works.

I found my best posture was flat on my back with a pillow curled up around my ears. It provided that sensation against my face that helps me drift to sleep. I learned to sleep on my back by sleeping in a recliner with a pillow curled around my face. I had shoulder trouble so I had to learn to not roll onto my shoulders. Learning to sleep this way changed my life. I usually fall asleep in minutes and sleep soundly until I naturally wake up, often in the same position. A sleep therapist who presented to my brain injury support group said this is the best sleep.
Thanks Mark. I appreciate the advice. I agree with the sleeping on your hands thing. My hands feel numb during the night. I have very poor sleep hygiene tbh. Watching movies with a laptop in bed is a daily thing for me.

But will try to start following your advice tonight.

Do you think it was because of a sudden inflammation of my neck? The sudden onset after months of normal sleep confuses me and i struggle to find the reasons for this. Can it be the fact that there has been no sunshine in where i live for the past weeks?
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