What’s the Best Position to Sleep With a Concussion?

Concussions are no laughing matter, especially when they affect your ability to rest and recuperate. That’s why learning the best position to sleep in with a concussion can make such a big difference to your recovery process.

Every year, between 1.6 million and 3.8 million concussions are reported in the United States, and that’s just among sports athletes.

It doesn’t account for the millions of concussions that occur every year through non-sport-related incidents such as falls or hits to the head.

In fact, one study of university students diagnosed with a concussion found a higher number of non-sport-related concussions than sport-related ones, while a second study shows that sleep disturbances were more common among people whose concussions weren’t caused by a sports-related injury.

These serious injuries can have a significant impact on both our quality of life as well as our quality of sleep. In some cases, it means that we may sleep too much or too little or even develop other conditions such as sleep apnea.

The problem gets worse when you consider that quality, restorative sleep is precisely the thing our bodies need to fully heal and recover from the concussion.

That’s why we’ve put together this guide.

Below, we’ll not only address the myth that it’s not safe to sleep with a concussion but also outline the best way to get the rest you need to help you recover faster.

How do Concussions Affect Sleep?

Make no mistake about it; sleep is vitally important to the concussion recovery process.

People who wake up multiple times in the night may well find that they take much longer to recover and thus have to deal with the symptoms for longer too.

The problem, of course, is that the very thing keeping you up at night in the first place is likely to be one of these symptoms:

1. Fatigue

Fatigue is a common symptom of Post Concussive Syndrome that is typically caused by a combination of your brain needing more effort to process information, post-concussion anxiety or depression, and the side effects of some concussion medication.

This can leave you with so little energy during the day that you’re forced to take naps.

While it may be helpful to simply sleep when you’re tired during concussion recovery, all those extra naps may mean that you then have trouble sleeping at night during the latter weeks of your recovery.

2. Lower Melatonin Levels

Melatonin is the primary hormone released by the pineal gland. Its main function is to regulate our sleep/wake cycle as well as improve our immune system.

Traumatic Brain Injuries such as concussions have been linked to reduced and delayed melatonin production. This is especially true at night when we need it the most.

Since a healthy level of melatonin is so essential for quality rest, it’s no wonder this is one of the common causes of concussion-related insomnia.

3. Headaches and Chronic Pain

Even if you knew very little about concussions, you’d probably know that they have a nasty tendency to leave us with some rather painful headaches and other forms of chronic pain.

Depending on the incident that caused your concussion in the first place, you may also be dealing with neck and shoulder pain or have trouble sleeping with back pain if the concussion was caused by an automobile accident.

If that’s the case, it’s no wonder you’re having such trouble sleeping, as chronic pain can be both a symptom and cause of insomnia.

In other words, it’s a pain that may be keeping you up, but it’s the lack of sleep that may be exacerbating the pain in the first place.

4. Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition in which your upper airway becomes blocked while you sleep. This often means that you momentarily stop breathing multiple times during the night and may start again through a loud snort, gasp, or full-body jerk.

Research shows a strong relationship between Post Concussion Syndrome and sleep apnea which explains why so many people who suffer from concussions also have trouble getting enough restorative sleep.

If all of that has left you with a feeling that there’s no hope you’ll ever enjoy a good night’s sleep ever again, don’t worry.

There are lots of things you can do to sleep better with a concussion, starting with adopting the following helpful sleep positions.

The Best Position to Sleep in With a Concussion

The truth is that the absolute best position to sleep in with a concussion is whichever position helps you to feel most comfortable.

Remember, the goal here is to help you get all the restorative rest you need so that your brain and body can overcome the symptoms of a concussion and restore themselves to full health. So, ultimately, whatever position helps you to do that is going to be a winner.

That said, there are two particular positions that may be more effective than most, especially if you use them properly.

These are:

1. On Your Back

Although there’s no singular optimum position for concussions, sleeping on your back in a neutral position is the best way to alleviate and prevent many post-concussion syndromes.

Back-sleeping can help to reduce headaches and makes it easier to take deep, slow breaths as you fall off to sleep, a practice that has been shown to boost our bodies’ production of that all-important sleep-regulator, melatonin.

How to Sleep on Your Back with a Concussion?

In order to avoid back pain and increase oxygen levels, it’s important to sleep on your back in a neutral position.

To do this, simply lie on your back with your knees bent upwards and place a pillow underneath them.

You can then relax your whole body with your arms to your sides.

Doing this will help keep your spine in its optimum position, stopping pain from keeping you awake and helping you enjoy a better quality of sleep.

2. On Your Side

While lying on your back may have more benefits for concussion recovery, lying on your side is still considered one of the all-around best sleeping positions for maximum restorative sleep.

As for which side to sleep on, that all depends.

Lying on your left can help reduce symptoms such as sleep apnea and improve circulation, which can aid the recovery process. However, if it’s the left side where you received the concussion-inducing blow to the head, lying on the injury spot may make you too uncomfortable to sleep.

In that case, sleeping on your right-hand side may prove more comfortable.

How to Sleep on Your Side During Concussion Recovery?

It’s important to remember that if you’ve suffered a head injury, there’s likely to be more pain going on than a headache.

To minimize the chronic pain symptoms of Post-Concussion Syndrome, you’ll want to lie with your whole body as level as possible.

To do this, grab a larger, supportive pillow to keep your shoulders, hips, and ears all in a straight line. This helps alleviate any neck and shoulder pain you may be suffering from while keeping your legs straight with a pillow between the legs can help reduce back pain.

The Best Way to Sleep With a Concussion: Do’s and Don’ts

Here is what you need to be fully aware of the things you should do and don’t when you are suffering from concussions.

Do: Get Out of Bed if You Can’t Sleep

If you find you’re not falling asleep within the first 30 minutes after getting into bed, the best approach is not to force it or fret about your lack of sleep.

After all, stress and anxiety can make it even more difficult to sleep. As such, the more you lie awake worrying about how little you’re sleeping, the less likely you are to be able to doze off peacefully.

Instead, get out of bed and engage in your favorite relaxing activity, whether that’s reading a book, watching TV, taking a relaxing bath, journaling, meditating, or whatever it may be.

At some point, your brain and body will let you know when they’re ready to rest, and you should be able to nod off much more easily.

Don’t: Use Electronics in the Bedroom

Whether it’s watching a few late-night TV shows or staying up replying to all those messages wishing you a speedy recovery, using your electronic devices in the bedroom is going to do you more harm than good.

The glow from the screens can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, messing with your internal sleep/wake cycle and making it difficult to doze off.

In order to sleep better, leave those devices switched off, and, if you do need an activity before you turn out the lights, try reading a book, meditating in bed, or listening to gentle music.

Do: Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Sticking to a regular sleep schedule in which you have the same pre-bed ritual, bed-time, and environment can make a major difference to your ability to rest.

If you begin to do the same thing at the same time every night before you turn in, your body learns when it’s time to begin shutting down and preparing to sleep.

Need some tips and suggestions on how to do this?

Here’s our complete guide to everything you need to know about maintaining a sleep schedule.

Don’t: Drink Caffeine or Alcohol

Caffeine and alcohol are among the main things to avoid before bed, and that’s even without a concussion.

The stimulating effects of caffeine on the nervous system can make it much more difficult to get to sleep, and while alcohol may help us to relax, it can also wreak havoc on our ability to enjoy the kind of restorative rest we need to recover from a concussion.

Do: Keep Your Bedroom Dark and Cool

Sometimes, the most simple suggestions can be the most helpful, and that’s certainly the case here.

As we said earlier, light from electronic devices can make your brain think that it’s still daytime, though even a little light from your alarm clock or a streetlight outside can make it harder to nod off.

With that in mind, aim to keep your room as dark as possible, preferably at under 72 degrees to help you sleep more comfortably.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sleeping With a Concussion

Things that generally crop up in mind about sleeping with concussions. You shouldn’t be aloof from these things when you are a victim of the problem.

Is it Safe to Sleep With a Concussion?

Yes. Despite what you may have heard, it’s perfectly safe to sleep when you’ve had a concussion as long as you’ve seen a medical professional. However, it is more difficult to assess your recovery when you sleep, which is why it’s recommended to have someone wake you up every few hours to check on you.

How should you sleep when concussed?

Sleeping on your back in a cool, dark room is the best way to sleep when concussed. Be sure to keep your head and knees slightly elevated with pillows to avoid neck, hip, and back pain.

Do concussion symptoms get worse at night?

Concussion symptoms don’t necessarily get worse at night, though they can negatively impact your ability to sleep, which, in turn, can make your symptoms worse during the day.

The Best Position to Sleep Safely With a Concussion: A Final Word of Advice

There’s a long-standing myth that it isn’t safe to sleep with a concussion; thus, you should be kept awake all night.

The actual truth is that the only reason doctors would advise people to stay awake after a head injury is that it’s much harder to monitor for brain damage when somebody is asleep.

These days, advances in medical technology mean that doctors can check for brain damage and other serious conditions even if you’re asleep.

However, all this assumes that you’ve seen a doctor in the first place and that they’ve cleared you to go home and rest.

If you’ve suffered a blow to the head and think you may be concussed, it’s essential to visit a medical professional to get a proper diagnosis.

Concussions are serious injuries that can lead to even more serious conditions if not properly diagnosed and treated, so it’s always worth getting checked out before you go home to rest.

Finally, if your concussion has left you feeling eager to nap during the day, read our guide to daytime sleeping before you nod off.

Sarah Wagner

I'm Sarah Wagner, and I founded Sweet Island Dreams in 2022. It's a blog dedicated to helping people mental vacation virtually anytime they want. By providing information about the best sleep of your life, I help people drift away to paradise without ever having to leave their bed!