Sleeping difficulties are common with traumatic brain injury survivors. (Read about sleep and TBI.)
People with a traumatic brain injury have problems with concentration and other cognitive abilities. (Read about TBI cognitive problems.) Research shows that cognition will improve while sleep improves and vise versa. (Read about improved sleep and brain injuries.)
Before my brain injury I would be active during the day, sleep for about six or seven hours and be rested for another day.
Since my brain injury, I sleep at night for about nine hours then volunteer, exercise or work on this blog until the afternoon when I sleep for a couple more hours. I need about eleven hours of sleep each day to stay alert and concentrate.
The point I’m trying to make is that I need more sleep to accomplish less. My energy is depleted quickly.
Simple things like walking, listening, talking and thinking can tire me out quickly and I become fatigued.
I need to limit my activity or spasticity becomes a problem. (I loose my stability and stumble.)
When I’m tired the volume and/ or pitch of a sound can become intolerable, I often wear earplugs to reduce the distraction and reserve my concentration, if that doesn’t work I need to leave the room or walk away.
When I’m tired, mostly in the evening, I may have difficulty speaking the words I’m thinking.
My thoughts take longer to form when I’m tired. I’m easily distracted since my concentration is depleted.
It’s all related, the sleep, fatigue and concentration.