Fatigue and excessive sleepiness after stroke may be grouped as part of a condition known as excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Individuals with EDS usually feel overwhelmed by the need for sleep during the day. Although, sleep is very important for promoting a healthy stroke recovery, excessive sleepiness can be a sign of more serious underlying health problems.
This article will discuss the benefits of quality sleep for stroke recovery, why a stroke can cause excessive sleepiness, symptoms of excessive sleep after a stroke and explain when medical attention may be necessary.
The Benefits Of Having Quality Sleep After Stroke
It is important to observe that drowsiness is a normal part of the early post-stroke phase of recovery.
Following the early days after stroke, an individual’s brain will use most of its resources toward healing the damage it incurred.
Normally, the brain uses twenty percent of the total energy an individual has. That percentage increases during stroke recovery.
This means the brain has less energy left to keep you alert and awake. Aside from helping the brain heal, deep sleep also offers other, essential benefits to stroke survivors.
Take for example, REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement Sleep), that is the deep sleep that occurs at intervals throughout the night, it helps the brain process motor information. When the brain achieves REM sleep, there are spikes of neural activities that occur, known as sleep spikes.
At the time of neural spikes, the brain transfers short-term memories about muscle movement to the temporal lobe where they become long-term memories.
As a result of this, quality sleep can really help stroke survivors regain proper muscle movement and strength.
Since most stroke survivors struggle with mobility problems, it is a helpful aid for stroke patients to give attention to getting sufficient sleep.
The Potential Causes Of Excessive Sleeping After Stroke
Even though sleep is an essential part of stroke recovery, many patients develop a problem known as excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Excessive daytime sleeping often decreases after a few weeks.
However, in about thirty percent of stroke patients, EDS can last for over six months.
If sleepiness lasts for several months and prevents an individual from practicing stroke rehabilitation exercises, it is important to consult a doctor, who can help find effective treatments.
Additionally, there are several factors that can worsen excessive daytime sleepiness after stroke, such as:
- Sleep-disordered breathing: A chronic condition that causes partial or complete cessation of breathing throughout the night, resulting in excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep disorder that affects a patient’s breathing.
- Reverse Robin Hood Syndrome. This is excessive sleepiness that occur when the brain attempts to redirect blood flow from damaged areas to non-damaged ones. (In this case it can be said that: “The brain robs the poor to feed the rich)
- Severe depression can cause excessive fatigue and drowsiness.
These medical complications can prevent individuals from getting quality sleep and, as a result, limit their recovery. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and treat them as soon as possible.
The Common Symptoms Of Excessive Sleepiness After Stroke
The primary symptom of EDS is constant fatigue throughout the day. Even after just waking up from a full night’s sleep, a person with excessive daytime sleepiness syndrome would still feel exhausted and fatigued.
The following are other symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness after stroke:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Decreased appetite
- Slowed cognition or speech
- Memory problems
- Restlessness
In order to get effective treatment for these symptoms, it is important to receive thorough diagnosis. If an individual struggles with excessive sleepiness after stroke, be sure to work with a primary care physician for proper diagnosis and treatment.
How To Treat Excessive Daytime Sleepiness After Stroke
As noted above, excessive sleep is not always a bad thing, especially in the beginning of stroke recovery. However, as time passes, drowsiness may affect recovery by preventing individuals from engaging in therapy.
If your quality of life is being affected by excessive daytime sleepiness after stroke, do not worry. There are effective treatments options available. Some treatment options that you can choose from are as follows:
Address Underlying Conditions
The first step doctors may take is to address any underlying conditions causing the excessive drowsiness.
For example, if sleep apnea is disturbing your ability to achieve REM sleep, treatment may involve the use of a C-PAP machine. With a C-PAP, you wear a mask over your nose or mouth while you sleep.
The mask is then hooked up to a machine that blows a continuous stream of air. This ensures you get enough oxygen throughout the night, which can reduce daytime drowsiness.
Sometimes excessive daytime sleepiness is caused by a poor night’s rest for other reasons, such as depression. If emotional changes after stroke are affecting your sleep and quality of life, consult your doctor. You can also explore psychological care such as talk therapy or medication like antidepressants.
Stimulants and Diet Changes
Other options that works, are stimulant medications that doctors can prescribe to treat excess sleepiness. These include modafinil, amphetamines, and ritalin.
It is best to consult your doctor before starting or stopping these medications (which are only available on prescription).
Lastly, some natural remedies that can help you stay awake include coffee and tea. Be sure to talk with your doctor on caffeine use also. Your doctor might as well encourage you to follow a high-nutrition diet to maintain energy.
The Summary
Excessive sleeping after stroke is common during the early stages of recovery as the brain works hard to heal itself. However, excessive daytime sleepiness could indicate other problems that deserve discussion with your doctor.
If your daytime sleepiness is caused by depression, sleep apnea, or other problems, treating these conditions can help reduce your sleepiness. On the other hand, taking certain medications such as modafinil can increase alertness. Your doctor can assist you in choosing the best treatment option.
There is no doubt that this article will help you manage excessive sleepiness and enable you find ways to improve your energy and continue in your recovery from stroke.
Book: How to understand excessive sleepiness, fatigue, anxiety disorders, recovery milestones and timeline patterns after stroke.