Your Sleep Habits and how they may be a Trigger for a Seizure
How can I manage my Epilepsy seizures by keeping healthy sleeping habits? And why can it be a Trigger for a seizure?
The lack of sleep or changes in our sleep patterns may increase the frequency and severity of seizures. A good example of this is the working person doing shift work and having their sleep time start at all times of the day or night. It is quite likely that you didn’t get the proper amount or quality of sleep the day before and now you have a nights’ work ahead of you. By the time you are home in the early hours of the morning you are so tired you can only think of sleep. Then you know what will happen next. Your regular routine of taking your medications, but also eating meals are all mixed up now. For some people this is may not a problem once they get into a routine or do shift work on a regular basis. You change your sleeping habits and a total change in your daily routine has taken place which your body just may not adapt to very well. Everyone needs to have some amount of routine in their lives. And this is especially important if you have Epilepsy. Taking your Medication at a particular time in the day is just one reason and one which is impossible to adhere to if sleeping times change frequently. Medications can easily be skipped over or totally forgotten as by now all your brain is thinking of is getting some sleep. Sometimes the side effects of some of your medication can keep you awake when you should be sleeping. It all depends on the person, how you feel during the day physically and emotionally and the type of medication prescribed. This would be a good time to check with your Doctor. Perhaps changing the time frame when you take that last medication may be all that is needed.
There could also be other reasons why you may be having trouble at night time getting into that sleep frame mood:
- If you experience Nocturnal seizures, your subconscious mind will tell you that ‘it is best not to go to sleep now as I am afraid of having that seizure”, or “I don’t feel quite right tonight and know it will happen”. Fear does not induce a calm and relaxed mind which important for good quality sleep.
- Or you are experiencing a sudden or added tension/stress in your life at this time? Your body is tired but your mind just keeps on turning as it is ‘thinking’, when instead you should be relaxing and freeing your mind enabling you to fall into sleep. If only you could calm your mind down long enough to fall asleep. Soft music may help release the tension enough to allow you to distress for a while.
- Do you have a sleep disorder of some sort, or possibly something else is going on in your body keeping you from sleep, other than Epilepsy. Have you checked with your Doctor to help pinpoint the reason.
- Is there too much light in the room? This could be confusing your brain by telling it that it is day time and not night time. Install dark blinds that you can pull down, or even pin a blanket over the window. This will help your brain recognize that it is time to relax.
- Or there maybe too much noise. The environment should be as quiet and dark as possible to make it easier to fall asleep.
- Lack of sleep, changes to your usual routine, missed medication, and then you most likely missed out on that very important breakfast or missed out on having a meal altogether. All these combined changes compromise your Immune System and may trigger yet another seizure.
What can I do to help myself get into the routine of falling into restful sleep?
Here are a few more suggestions to help you get some well earned rest.
. If you don’t feel tired enough to sleep but it is well past your regular bedtime, get out a good book and start reading.
. If you have woken up in the middle of the night and are unable to get back to sleep have a warm water bath. Adding soothing oils or bubbles will help relax your muscles.
. Don’t have a large meal of any kind before going to bed. Instead if you are still feeling hungry drink a warm glass of milk and eating a banana may be just soothing enough to do the trick.
. It may assist if you go to bed ½ hr before tying to fall asleep. This will give you time to do some deep breathing and counting and relaxation exercises.
. What could work for some is that after closing your eyes you roll your eyes back and forth and to the sides very slowly while counting those nice fluffy sheep as they walk across the pasture. Eventually you will loose count of them and will most likely be asleep at this point. If not you can start over again.
. Don’t drink anything that will stimulate the brain such as coffee or alcohol at least 6hrs before going to bed. You want the brain to be tired and relaxed as well as your body. Any caffeine-containing beverage will over stimulate your brain and good restful sleep is not likely to happen.
. In the early hours of the evening, take a nice relaxing walk outdoors. Get some fresh air into your lungs and brain as this feeling of health will also encourage rest and relaxation.
Here are some other good suggestions you may wish to check out. Foods to eat and exercises to do that may help you establish your new sleeping routine. http://www.epilepsyontario.org/client/EO/EOWeb.nsf/web/Lifestyle
Taking medications for getting the essential and required amount of sleep.
Speak with your Neurologist if you are having problems falling asleep as there are some Epilepsy medications that may assist you in this area. Your Doctor may suggest that you increase your dosage of but for some of this increase to be taken only at bedtime. Perhaps changing the time that you take your night time medications may help you also. Just ask your Doctor if this would help but please do not do so without his knowledge. If you should take them too early and not at the optimum time slot you may well go to sleep too early, and this could be one of the reasons you are waking in the middle of the night full of energy. Once again spoiling a good nights sleep. Ask your Doctor if taking your medication closer to your normal bedtime hour would help. Your Doctor knows how much good sleep means to you and that lack of enough sleep could trigger your seizures and he will need to be kept informed. Be aware of over the counter sleeping aids as some of these can trigger seizures in some people, always check with your medical provider.
