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Question: REACTION PLEASE... What is your Reaction regarding this: "Mild Head Injuries Increase Risk Of Sleep Disorders"As many as 40 to 65 percent of people with mild traumatic brain injury complain of insomnia," said study author Liat Ayalon, PhD, with the University of California, San Diego. "This is concerning since sleeping problems may exacerbate other brain injury symptoms such as headache, emotional distress, and cognitive impairment, making the rehabilitation process much harder."For the study, researchers assessed 42 people who reported to the Sheba Medical Center in Israel with complaints of insomnia after mild traumatic brain injury. Those suspected of having a circadian rhythm sleep disorder (CRSD) (i.e. problems with the timing of sleep) underwent scans, sleep studies, and had their oral temperature and saliva melatonin measured.The study found 15 of the 42 patients, or 36 percent, had a CRSD. Of those, eight people had a delayed sleep phase syndrome with problems falling asleep and waking up, and seven people had irregular sleep-wake patterns.
Answer: There are many things to consider here. First, this is a small study...too small to say there is a signficant difference in prevalence of sleep disorders in those with head injury versus those have not.Second, is it doesn't make any attempt to explain the nature of the sleep disorder. Is is directly attributable to the head injury itself, or could it be due to medication or emotional stress of the injury? Many people undergoing rehabiliation have sleep related issues such as those who've undergone chemotherapy and raidation, those who've had joint replacement surgery, etc.At best, this study suggests there is an association between sleep disorders and TBI, but it does not discuss a causal relationship...furthermore, a larger study is needed to draw more firm consclusions.
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