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Miami, FL 33186
More than 17,700 new SCI cases get reported in the USA each year. Notably, a significant fraction of these individuals are looking for ways to ensure a smooth paralysis recovery in Miami. Some find it by seeking help from fitness centers like iAM ABLE, while others complement their efforts with simple lifestyle adjustments such as getting enough sleep at night.
However, it’s no secret that sleeping problems during SCI recovery are a common issue among survivors. Many patients notice that it takes so long to fall asleep. Others report that they experience significant sleep interruptions.
So the question is, how are these two issues connected? Moreover, how can SCI survivors ensure recovery and get quality sleep at night? Let’s find out the answers to these questions.
Anyone trying to find ways to achieve complete or partial paralysis recovery in Miami knows how hard it is to get quality sleep. Studies explain that the sleeping problems among SCI survivors mainly stem from the following issues:
Naturally, if you have any of these problems, you might find it helpful to consult with your physician or therapist. This will help you manage your risk factors and ensure that you sleep better at night.
Notably, SCI survivors experience various sleeping problems during recovery. Some only experience insomnia, while others have additional problems such as sleep apnea and circadian rhythm-related disorders. Here’s a closer look at them:
The circadian rhythm influences your sleeping patterns. Sadly, a spinal cord injury disrupts this natural regulatory process. This throws off the body’s biological clock, causing significant delays in producing and releasing hormones needed for normal processes like sleeping.
Studies explain that sleep apnea commonly afflicts SCI survivors because of neuromuscular weakness. When the spinal cord gets damaged, some parts of the respiratory tract may suffer the impact and fail to function correctly. This obstructs the airways and causes sleep apnea. Notably, sleep apnea can trigger extreme snoring at night and fatigue in the morning.
It’s unclear why SCI triggers insomnia, but studies have shown that it’s a common issue among patients with complete or partial tissue damage. Essentially, this condition causes affected individuals to experience noticeable difficulty in falling or staying asleep. In addition, studies explain that it can lead to tiredness during the day and increase a patient’s risk for complications like cardiovascular diseases.
While sleeping problems are inevitable when you have a spinal cord injury, we suggest looking into the specific factors that affect your sleeping patterns. For example, if you notice muscle spasticity, you must try to resolve the issue with your physical therapist. Additionally, we strongly suggest exploring proven sleeping remedies such as the following:
Many SCI survivors take melatonin supplements to manage their sleep problems. Sleep Foundation explains that this supplement helps regulate the body’s biological clock. It also supports other physiological functions, such as maintaining optimal mental health.
If you suffer from sleep apnea because of your SCI, we strongly suggest using specialized equipment such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine and a tongue retaining device.
The last thing you want to do is to disrupt your sleeping patterns further. So, we strongly advise against daytime naps. However, if you can’t altogether avoid it due to some health complications, you should keep your naps no longer than 30 minutes.
Having a quiet bedroom is a must for anyone recovering from SCI. It will help ensure better sleep and prevent further complications. We strongly recommend investing in good-quality pillows to provide enough support for your head, neck, and shoulders while you lay on the bed. Additionally, you might find it helpful to check the thermostat setting, the lighting fixtures used in the room, and the level of noise that passes through the walls.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can significantly benefit spinal cord injury survivors. After all, it helps patients cope with their anxieties and negative thoughts. CBT involves several steps to help patients reframe their behavioral and thought patterns.
Recovering from a paralyzing injury such as an SCI requires some physical activity. This helps reconnect severed neural connections and improve the overall well-being of a recovering individual. As much as possible, you should work closely with a fitness trainer or a physical therapist to know the specific activities you can engage with and easily plan your recovery efforts.
Restorative sleep isn’t the only thing you should focus on when planning your path to recovery. Instead, it would help if you also considered working with fitness professionals to help retrain your body and rewire your nervous system. Depending on the severity of your injuries, SCI rehabilitation professionals can modify your care plan and incorporate activities that might help you regain mobility and other essential functions.
At iAM ABLE, we strive to provide paralysis survivors with tailored-fit rehabilitation programs. We study each case and consider everything that might affect one’s efforts in recovering from a spinal cord injury.
Begin your journey towards paralysis recovery in Miami with the help of iAM ABLE. We recommend getting in touch with the iAM ABLE team to learn more about our rehabilitation programs and specialized pieces of equipment for paralysis recovery. You can also grab your offline copy of our comprehensive guide on living with paralysis.
Grab our free e-book 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to THRIVE after Paralysis by clicking the image below.
