Does TBI lead to difficulty in falling asleep, problems staying asleep, increased leg movement, and daytime? Possibly so, according to a recent study done with traumatic brain injured patients that showed a higher incidence of an increased nighttime awakening and increase in time to fall asleep. Not surprisingly, the resulting lack of sufficient sleep can cause change in mood and depression.
In a study done at Epworth Hospital (Melbourne, Australia), participants were recruited from the hospital and the surrounding community. They were asked to keep a sleep diary for seven days, noting time they went to bed, sleep onset, number of awakenings, time they woke up, and use of alcohol or caffeine. Other tests and questionnaires were used in addition to the diary. Unlike previous studies, this research included a comparison group, matching participants in the community with traumatic brained injured patients in relation to age and gender. The researchers felt age was an important consideration because of the occurrence of age-related changes in sleep. Gender was chosen because women typically report more insomnia than men.