Sleeping after a concussion is usually OK and often helps with your recovery.
Medical professionals used to think people with concussions should stay awake to prevent slipping into acoma.
We now know that sleeping after a concussion won’t lead to a coma.
Verywell / Mayya Agapova
Your healthcare provider can confirm if it’s OK to sleep and what symptoms to watch for.
Verywell / Mayya Agapova
When Can You Sleep After a Concussion?
Once cleared, kids should be allowed to sleep as much as they would like.
Sleep Disruptions From a Concussion
Concussions can cause some symptoms that are directly related to sleep.
These insomnia symptoms could last from a few weeks to three years.
One possible reason is those with concussions return to their daily activities sooner despite not being fully recovered.
What If They Will Not Wake Up?
If you cant rouse someone from sleep after a head injury, call 911.
A serious brain injury can result in acoma, or a deep state of unconsciousness.
Some patients completely recover after a coma while others have significant disabilities.
However, you should err on the side of caution and have them checked by a healthcare provider.
Symptoms that are more severe warrant a trip to the emergency room.
You won’t slip into a coma or die if you go to sleep after getting a concussion.
Allow for plenty of sleep so the body’s natural healing process can begin.
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John Hopkins Medicine.Traumatic brain injury.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heads up: Signs and symptoms of concussions.
University of Minnesota.Stretching of neurons implicated in traumatic brain injury.
Zhou Y, Greenwald BD.Update on insomnia after mild traumatic brain injury.Brain Sci.
2018;8(12):223. doi:10.3390/brainsci8120223
National Institutes of Health.
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Macnow T, Curran T, Tolliday C, et al.Effect of screen time on recovery from concussion.JAMA Pediatr.
