Why should you not sleep with a concussion?

Sleeping cannot cause serious problems after a concussion. The danger is that when you are asleep, your family or your doctors are not likely to notice indications of serious brain damage — such as a seizure or weakness of one side of the body.
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Why shouldn't you sleep off a concussion?

Medical experts once warned that people should stay awake if they had a concussion. They based this advice on the theory that sleeping with a concussion could cause a person to fall into a coma or even die. However, medical experts now agree that it is safe for a person to sleep if they have a concussion.
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Is it safe to sleep with a concussion?

Generally, both adults2 and children3 can safely sleep after a concussion, once they have visited their doctor or an emergency room. Although sleeping after a concussion is considered safe, it is more difficult to assess a person's symptoms when they are asleep.
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How long must you stay awake after concussion?

The new thinking: What are the recommendations for sleep after concussion now? The reality is that these more concerning injuries usually show up in the first 3 to 6 hours after injury. Therefore, you should keep a concussed person awake during this time and monitor them.
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How long do you need to stay awake if you hit your head?

Do not allow the athlete (or concussed individual) to sleep for at least 3 hours after the injury. May not need to wake the athlete throughout the night, but monitoring them throughout the night is prudent.
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Can you die if you fall asleep after a concussion? | Norton Sports Health



What are the stages of a concussion?

There are three grades: Grade 1: Mild, with symptoms that last less than 15 minutes and involve no loss of consciousness. Grade 2: Moderate, with symptoms that last longer than 15 minutes and involve no loss of consciousness. Grade 3: Severe, in which the person loses consciousness, sometimes for just a few seconds.
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How do I check for a concussion?

  1. Headache or “pressure” in head.
  2. Nausea or vomiting.
  3. Balance problems or dizziness, or double or blurry vision.
  4. Bothered by light or noise.
  5. Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy.
  6. Confusion, or concentration or memory problems.
  7. Just not “feeling right,” or “feeling down”.
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How long should you stay awake?

Adults should stay awake no longer than 17 hours to meet the CDC's sleep recommendation. People tend to experience the adverse effects of sleep deprivation within 24 hours.
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Is 2 hours of sleep better than none?

Ideally, you should try to get more than 90 minutes of sleep. Sleeping between 90 and 110 minutes gives your body time to complete one full sleep cycle and can minimize grogginess when you wake. But any sleep is better than not at all — even if it's a 20-minute nap.
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Is 4 hours of sleep better than none?

For most people, 4 hours of sleep per night isn't enough to wake up feeling rested and mentally alert, no matter how well they sleep. There's a common myth that you can adapt to chronically restricted sleep, but there's no evidence that the body functionally adapts to sleep deprivation.
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What's the longest without sleep?

Going without sleep for 264 hours, exactly 11 days - long enough to break a world record.
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Can I take Tylenol with a concussion?

The Early Period Following a Concussion

Some over-the-counter medications can be used to treat post-traumatic headaches. If you have a headache and suspect a concussion, the Mayo Clinic recommends acetaminophen (Tylenol and other brands).
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How do doctors treat a concussion?

Your doctor will recommend that you physically and mentally rest to recover from a concussion. Relative rest, which includes limiting activities that require thinking and mental concentration, is recommended for the first two days after a concussion.
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What are the 4 categories of concussion symptoms?

The signs and symptoms of concussion reported within 1 to 7 days post injury (see Table 3-3) typically fall into four categories—physical (somatic), cognitive, emotional (affective), and sleep—and patients will experience one or more symptoms from one or more categories.
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What makes a concussion worse?

Ignoring your symptoms and trying to “tough it out” often makes symptoms worse. Rest is very important after a concussion because it helps the brain to heal.
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How do you know if a concussion is serious?

Concussion Danger Signs
  1. One pupil larger than the other.
  2. Drowsiness or inability to wake up.
  3. A headache that gets worse and does not go away.
  4. Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination.
  5. Repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures (shaking or twitching).
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What should you not do after a concussion?

4 things to avoid after a concussion
  1. Excessive physical activity. An increased heart rate may worsen your symptoms, dragging out your recovery.
  2. Strenuous mental activities. Reading, computer work, playing video games, texting and watching TV can overstimulate your brain, says Dr. ...
  3. Driving too soon. ...
  4. Pain relievers.
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What helps a concussion heal faster?

How can I speed up concussion recovery?
  • Reduce screen time. ...
  • Limit exposure to bright lights and loud sounds. ...
  • Avoid unnecessary movement of your head and neck. ...
  • Stay hydrated. ...
  • Rest. ...
  • Eat more protein. ...
  • Eat foods rich in omega-3s. ...
  • Eat foods with lots of antioxidants.
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Can a concussion go away by itself?

Most symptoms of concussion go away within 7-10 days. Most people recover from a concussion in about a month, but there are factors that can speed it up or slow it down.
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Can I take ibuprofen for concussion?

Management During the Acute Symptomatic Phase. During the first 24 hours you should avoid medications that can increase risk of bleeding. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), and naproxen sodium (Naprosyn, Aleve). During the first 24 hours acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be used for pain relief.
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Should I go to hospital for concussion?

Should I Go to the Hospital for a Concussion? In general, any head injury associated with loss of consciousness, seizures, prolonged confusion or amnesia, neck pain, vomiting or numbness or weakness in arms or legs should be transported to the emergency room in an ambulance right away.
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Can I have caffeine with a concussion?

You should continue eating a normal diet, as your body needs the energy to heal. It's also important to stay hydrated. Drinking coffee isn't an issue as long as you can still sleep while you continue to rest. Providers will recommend you continue your routine medications while recovering from a concussion.
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How do you treat a concussion at home?

How to Treat a Concussion at Home
  1. Do cardio for about 30 minutes a day or as tolerated. ...
  2. Immediately after exercising, engage in cognitively demanding activities — like reading. ...
  3. Calm your autonomic nervous system. ...
  4. Rest from screens and try to do some normal activities if you can. ...
  5. Return to work or school gradually.
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Who slept the longest in the world?

Hypnotist Peter Powers holds the record for the longest time asleep. He put himself to sleep for straight eight days (188 hours) under hypnosis.
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Will your body force you to sleep?

Will your body eventually force you to sleep? Yes, if you haven't had enough sleep, you will fall asleep.
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