If you ask friends or family members what to do after a head injury, some of them may tell you not to go to sleep. They will say that this makes the condition much more dangerous and that it could even become fatal while you’re sleeping. To have the best chance at survival and recovery, they’ll say, you need to stay awake.
But this is an outdated manner of thinking. Medical experts now note that sleep can be very helpful with healing after a brain injury, so it is more beneficial than it is harmful. It also doesn’t make it more likely that someone’s injury will get worse or that they will pass away.
Of course, you always want to talk to your doctor about your specific injury. But as a general rule, if you’ve been hurt, you don’t have to be afraid that going to sleep is going to make your condition more severe.
Checking on the symptoms
What is important to remember, though, is why this myth exists in the first place. The problem is that you can’t check on the symptoms while someone is asleep.
For instance, you may believe that you have a minor brain injury when it’s actually serious. If you go to sleep, your condition could worsen to the point that you pass away, and no one would know.
As such, if you are going to sleep, it’s good to have a schedule to have someone wake you up and check on your symptoms. If they’re progressing, then you may need to seek further medical attention. But if they are getting better, then the sleep may be beneficial; it may actively be helping you recover.
No matter how it plays out, a serious head injury can bring about significant financial challenges. Be sure you know how to seek compensation if someone else was responsible.
