Incidental finding indicates Melatonin helps post-acute TBI patients achieve longer REM sleep
Centre for Neuro Skills Study Finds Differences in Sleep Patterns Between Men and Women with Post-Traumatic Brain Injury
Incidental finding indicates Melatonin helps post-acute TBI patients achieve longer REM sleep
Centre for Neuro Skills © ( CNS ), a premier provider of traumatic and acquired brain injury rehabilitation services , has shared findings from a study researching sleep-wake disturbances , published in Neurotrauma Reports on January 3 , 2024 . They found that sleep deficits are correlated with poorer brain injury patient outcomes ( verbal skills , depression issues ), as monitored by therapists and administrators at CNS .
The study included data from 57 individuals between the ages of 18-70 who sustained traumatic brain injuries ( TBIs ). CNS collected the data between 2018-2020 at its in-house sleep centers in Dallas and Bakersfield .
“ Overall , we found that lack of REM sleep negatively impacts memory and learning for TBI patients ,” says Dr . Stefanie Howell , a neuroscientist at CNS . “ In research , we must also consider additional variables that may impact our results . This includes biological variables such as sex , as biological sex does impact sleep . Our research found that women achieve REM sleep far less than men . Additionally , a decrease in REM sleep was associated with poorer learning and memory task performance , indicating a potential impact on outcome and recovery .”
In addition to biological sex , CNS evaluated several sleep medications to determine if their use impacted sleep for the TBI patients . Howell said “ medications do not seem to be impacting results between men and women ; however , the use of melatonin was associated with improved REM sleep and may therefore be of potential short-term benefit to TBI patients . It is important to note that over-the-counter melatonin options are variable due to formula ingredients .” found to help improve REM sleep in the short term , but it ’ s important to note that long-term use can be habit-forming . I cannot stress this enough – the best medication is no medication .”
In 2021 , CNS published two other studies regarding sleep-wake disturbances post-stroke . The first evaluated the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea ( OSA ) and the second study considered the anatomical location of the injury ( stroke ). g
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Women showed a significant reduction in percentage of REM sleep .
Sleep Study 2024 Graph REM Sleep “ Through research , we ’ ve found that while sleep supplements in the benzodiazepine family may cause someone to fall asleep , they suppress REM sleep , which is crucial for memory recollection and improved learning ,” says Dr . Brent Masel , executive vice president of medical affairs at CNS . “ Melatonin was
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