Sleeping A Lot After Stroke: What Survivors Should Know

After experiencing a stroke, it is common to feel tired and sluggish. You may spend more time in bed and constantly yearning for sleep. But why does this happen? Let's explore the reasons behind why stroke survivors sleep a lot after stroke, and learn how you can manage it. Understanding and adapting to this new rhythm of life can improve your sleep quality and overall well-being. Join me on this journey towards better rest.

Reasons Stroke Survivors Sleep a lot After Stroke

Experiencing a stroke is a significant event for the body. The aftermath often includes physical, emotional, and cognitive changes. One commonly observed change is the increase in sleep or the feeling of constant fatigue. This could be due to several different factors or a combination of the following:

• Body's Healing Mechanism: The brain needs sleep to recover and heal after a stroke. Sleep is like the body's maintenance time, where the brain repairs and restores itself.

• Fatigue: After a stroke, individuals may experience physical and mental fatigue, causing previously simple tasks to require more exertion.

• Medications: It is common for post-stroke medications to cause drowsiness. If you have recently started taking new medications, they could increase your sleepiness.

• Emotional Exhaustion: Dealing with the aftermath of a stroke can be emotionally exhausting, leading to increased sleep.

The Importance of Quality Sleep in Stroke Recovery

Sleep is crucial for stroke survivors, allowing their brains to work tirelessly in the background. But what exactly happens during these hours of rest? Let's explore further.

Neuroplasticity and Sleep: Neuroplasticity is a remarkable phenomenon at the heart of stroke recovery. It refers to the brain's ability to create new neural connections and reorganize itself. When a stroke occurs, certain parts of the brain may be damaged, causing a loss of function. However, other parts of the brain can learn and take over these functions again through neuroplasticity. Sleep plays a crucial role in this process by strengthening and reinforcing these new neural pathways, especially during the deep stages of sleep. It's the perfect time for the brain to solidify what it has learned throughout the day.

Consolidating Skills: Getting enough sleep is essential not only for physical recovery but also for cognitive recovery. During rest, our brain processes and consolidates memories from the day. This is especially important for stroke survivors who need to relearn skills and acquire new knowledge during rehabilitation.

Restorative Properties of Sleep: Getting enough sleep is crucial for restoring and rejuvenating the brain's energy. It helps to remove waste products and maintain the health of brain cells, which is especially important after experiencing a stroke. Sleep's natural restorative properties aid in the overall healing and recovery process.

Actionable Strategies for Regulating Sleep After a Stroke

While understanding the reasons behind increased sleep is vital, having tools and strategies to manage it is equally crucial. Here are some actionable strategies that might help:

1. Creating a Sleep Schedule: Establishing a routine can pave the way for better sleep quality and consistency, even amid the challenges of post-stroke recovery.

• Consistency is Key: Train your body's internal clock by aiming to sleep and wake at the exact times every day, including weekends. Over time, this can lead to naturally feeling sleepy at bedtime and waking up more refreshed.

• Night Rituals: Develop a calming pre-sleep routine to signal to your body that it's time to wind down. This could range from listening to soft instrumental music, light reading, or warm aromatic tea.

• Limit Naps: While napping might be tempting, especially when fatigue sets in, try to limit daytime naps to 20-30 minutes and avoid napping late in the afternoon to ensure you're tired by nighttime.

2. Daytime Activities and Engagement: Participating in daytime activities is essential to the recovery process. Even if you are facing mobility challenges that prevent you from walking, there are still plenty of activities you can participate in to stimulate your body and mind and aid in your recovery.

• Seated Stretching: If standing exercises are not possible, seated stretches can help you maintain flexibility and muscle tone. You can do gentle stretches for your neck, shoulders, and even lift your legs while sitting. However, it is essential to consult your physical therapist to determine what exercises suit you.

• Hand and Finger Exercises: Simple exercises, such as squeezing a stress ball, pinching clay, or practicing finger taps, can enhance dexterity and strength.

• Mental Stimulation: Keep your brain active with reading, audiobooks, chess, card games, and brain-training games to improve cognitive abilities.

• Art and Craft: Drawing, painting, or crafting can be therapeutic and improve hand-eye coordination. Engaging in art is a delightful way to express oneself and aid in healing.

• Music Therapy: Music can have a calming effect, while playing instruments, even simple ones like tambourines or maracas, can improve hand coordination and cognitive stimulation.

• Breathing Exercises: Deep breathing and guided meditation can reduce anxiety and increase lung capacity.

• Social Engagement: Social interactions are as meaningful as physical activity for emotional well-being. This can include conversations, joining support groups (even online ones), or simply video calling a loved one to uplift spirits and promote mental well-being.

• Setting Goals: There are many milestones to aim for without walking, such as mastering a new hand exercise, completing a drawing, or finishing a book. Setting short-term achievable goals can provide a sense of accomplishment.

Dedicating time to physical and cognitive activities aids recovery and fosters a positive healing environment.

3. Mindful Relaxation and Meditation: Mindfulness and meditation are highly regarded for promoting relaxation, increasing self-awareness, and alleviating stress - all essential elements for post-stroke rehabilitation.

• Guided Meditation: Many apps and online resources offer guided meditation for relaxation, sleep, or stress reduction, making it easier for beginners.

• Deep Breathing Techniques: One way to calm the nervous system is by practicing focused breathing. Inhale for four counts, hold for four counts and exhale for four counts. This can be a simple yet effective technique for achieving calmness.

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This technique involves tensing and relaxing each muscle group in the body, which can be beneficial for relaxation and increasing awareness of physical sensations.

4. Monitor and Adjust Medications: Medications play a critical role in post-stroke recovery, but knowing how they might impact sleep is essential.

• Open Communication: Maintain open communication with your healthcare provider regarding all medications, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.

• Side Effects Awareness: Be vigilant about potential side effects, especially drowsiness. Discuss possible alternatives or timing adjustments with your doctor if a medication affects your sleep.

• Regular Reviews: As your recovery progresses, your medication needs might change. Schedule regular check-ins with your physician to review and adjust your medications as necessary.

5. Setting Up the Sleep Environment: Your quality of sleep is primarily influenced by your sleep environment. Adjustments allow you to turn your bedroom into a haven for restful sleep.

• Comfort Matters: Consider seeking expert advice on the best sleeping solutions if you have mobility issues or specific postural needs post-stroke, and invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows suited to your needs.

• Ambiance Counts: Adjustable lighting can promote better sleep. Consider using lamps or nightlights.

• Quietude: Living in a noisy environment? Earplugs, noise-canceling devices, and white noise machines that produce calming sounds like rainfall or ocean waves can help you drown out disturbances and relax.

• Temperature Control: The room's temperature can significantly affect the quality of sleep. Keeping the room slightly cool is recommended. Consider using fans, heaters, or thermostats to maintain an ideal sleep temperature.

• Limit Stimulants: Ensure a restful sleep by keeping electronic devices outside or turning them off. Blue light emitted by phones and TVs hinders the production of melatonin.

Wrap Up

Getting enough sleep is crucial to your recovery process. It's not just a side effect of healing but a vital component supporting your wellness journey. You can achieve a healthy balance between wakefulness and rest by identifying the reasons behind your disrupted sleep patterns and developing personalized strategies. Remember, you are not alone in this journey. Educate yourself, take care of your body and mind, and focus on making daily progress. Every new day comes a fresh chance to thrive and move forward on the path to recovery.