Sleeping A Lot After A Car Accident – What It Could Mean

If you are sleeping a lot after a car accident, it is understandable to wonder what it could mean. Some of the reasons for sleeping a lot might be benign, while others could be a sign of serious health issues.

If you are concerned with your fatigue or the amount you are sleeping following a car crash, your first call should be to your doctor. Only a medical professional can evaluate your circumstances and advise you on your best course of action. After discussing your case with your doctor, you could benefit from talking about your legal claim with an attorney.

The Potential for a Traumatic Brain Injury

One common – and particularly severe – possibility is that you are suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to the Mayo Clinic, fatigue and drowsiness are two common symptoms of a brain injury. Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries are common among motor vehicle collisions due to the tremendous force involved in these crashes.

A traumatic brain injury could have a substantial and varying number of symptoms. For some people, altered sleeping patterns are a part of living with a traumatic brain injury. This could involve having trouble sleeping or finding yourself sleeping far more than normal.

Brain Injuries Cause Sleeping Disturbances

While some symptoms of traumatic brain injuries are more common than others, sleep disturbances are routine for concussions and similar injuries. According to the journal Neurology Clinical Practice, as many as 70 percent of people suffering from concussions experience sleep problems.

Some of the symptoms common with a traumatic brain injury can be delayed. This is typically not the case with fatigue and sleep disturbances. Individuals living with traumatic brain injuries often find themselves sleeping more in the days and weeks following their injury.

This excessive sleepiness can last for a while. If you suspect that you are suffering from a traumatic brain injury, seek out medical treatment immediately.

Fatigue Related to Depression

For some people, unusual daytime sleepiness following a car collision might not result from a physical injury. Often, the emotional fallout from a devastating crash can have a lasting emotional impact on the injury victim. Numerous emotions can come rushing to the victim of a car crash, including guilt and anger. However, sadness is often one of the most overwhelming emotions under these circumstances.

Depression is a common result from the strong emotions that follow a serious motor vehicle collision. Emotional suffering can be especially difficult to deal with. While outwardly visible injuries are easy for most people to understand, internal hardships like depression are not.

Cleveland Clinic reports that one of the common symptoms of depression is excessive sleeping. This is not a physical symptom – as is the case with a traumatic brain injury. Excessive sleeping due to depression after an injury is an emotional response.

Some other symptoms that could come with sleeping too much include:

• Anxiety
• Apathy
• Difficulty concentrating
• Overwhelming sadness

Seek Medical Care Immediately

While each of these factors could be responsible for your heavy sleeping, it is important to remember that only a medical professional can provide you with a true diagnosis. Some of the potential causes of fatigue after a vehicle crash are serious health conditions. The sooner you address your injuries, the sooner you could begin recovering.

Seeking immediate medical care is good for more than just your physical health. It could also strengthen your potential personal injury claim. Seeking medical care right away creates a paper trail that establishes your effort to address your injuries. This documentation could prove to be invaluable if your case goes to trial.

An attorney from our firm could help you understand the value of seeking medical treatment after an injury. In addition to seeking medical care, it is also important to follow the prescribed treatment from your doctor. This could give you the best chance of recovering compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. It also addresses the root cause of sleeping a lot after a car crash.