Traumatic brain injuries cause a range of neurological and behavioral issues. People who suffer brain injuries often suffer sleep disorders and don’t realize their issues are linked to head trauma.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as a change in brain functioning or pathology caused by a force like a car accident, a fall, a sporting injury or an attack.
Many people suffer sleep disturbances after a brain injury. If your sleep patterns change soon after a car crash or a fall, you should talk to your doctor. Many traumatic brain injuries go undiagnosed. Disturbed sleep could be the first indication you have a TBI.
However, people who sustain brain injuries often suffer a host of other symptoms. They include irritability, anger, withdrawn behavior and problems concentrating. Your work and family life can suffer.
Sleep deprivation can exacerbate many of these problems. Reviews of sleep disorder studies suggest TBI sufferers are three times more likely to suffer from insomnia and other sleep-related problems than the general population.
As many as 60 percent of people with TBI experience long-term difficulties with sleep. Women were more likely to suffer problems than men. Sleep disorders are more likely to develop as a person ages.
TBI and Sleep Disorders – Studies Show a Link
According to EurekAlert, as many as 1.6 million to three million traumatic brain injuries occur in the U.S. every year. Fatigue, insomnia, and sleepiness are often reported after a TBI. People who experience sleep disturbances spend more time at hospitals and suffer more anxiety.
The publication highlights research on how to tackle the problem. Regular bedtime routines, a restful bedroom environment, limiting daytime napping and caffeine intake can help treat sleeping disorders without the need for medication. The study also recommended avoiding late-night screen time.
Medical professionals will often seek to treat any underlying conditions of insomnia like obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety, depression, and restless leg syndrome.
Traumatic brain injuries are among the most serious potential consequences of a car, truck, or motorcycle wreck. They range from concussions to serious injuries that leave a victim in a coma. Brain injuries are extremely complicated and often troublesome. They can cause a wide range of disorders that can reduce your quality of life.
If you believe you suffered a traumatic brain injury in a Georgia car crash, it’s important to talk to an injury lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact the Law Office of Michael West at (404) 913-1529.