For some people with disturbed and disrupted sleep patterns who have also suffered a mild traumatic brain injury, the trouble could be a circadian rhythm sleep disorder and not insomnia. According to the Academy of Neurology, sleep disorders can be caused by mild head injuries.

Researchers studied 42 individuals who reported insomnia following a mild traumatic brain injury. After undergoing scans, sleep studies and measurements of temperature and saliva melatonin, the study found that 36% of these patients had a circadian rhythm sleep disorder (CRSD).

Patients coming to sleep clinics due to insomnia have a CRSD rate of only 7 to 10 percent. The findings of the study indicate that misdiagnosis of CRSDs could lead to it being labeled as insomnia and the prescription of sleep medications which do nothing to normalize sleep-wake cycles. Additionally, circadian rhythm sleep disorders may be accompanied by other associated psychological and cognition problems.

The study is published in the April 3 issue of Neurology

The Academy of Neurology