Post-Stroke Fatigue

After surviving a stroke, many people report excessive fatigue and an increased amount of sleeping. The National Institute of Health estimates that fatigue effects 39%-72% of stroke survivors. That encompasses a lot of survivors!

It is normal for a stroke body and brain to feel tired, and for you to need more sleep and/or rest following a stroke. When we sleep, our brains recharge, form memories, and heal. If you have the flu, no one is concerned about your need for extra rest. In fact, the recommendation is often “get plenty of rest.” The same should be true after a stroke, only it may be months before your need for extra sleep decreases.

Immediately following a stroke, due to the damage inflicted, needs rest. While sleeping, the brain is healing, which is the process of reorganizing and figuring out how to turn itself back on. Brain reorganization takes a lot of rest, so during early post-stroke, sleeping a lot is encouraged. And not just any old sleep, but good, deep sleep. Getting good sleep while in a hospital setting, as many of us know, is often next to impossible. Therefore, the excessive fatigue may not be noticeable until returning home where there are no beeping noises and constant interruptions. Once home, good sleep can be monitored using low tech strategies such as writing down how many of hours you slept, as well as how rested you feel upon waking. High tech strategies, which are always fun, can include wearing a device such as a watch or ring that monitors the quality of your sleep using heart rate variability. Examples of this are the Garmin Watch and Oura Ring.

Post-Stroke, Your Sleep Quality Matters!

Did you know that after surviving a stroke you only have about half of the muscle strengthen on the affected side, but your cardiovascular strength has also been affected by roughly 50 percent? Additionally, activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing, takes twice the amount of energy! Other factors can further compound fatigue, such as the use of prescription medications, pain, and depression.

Once the brain turns on, often accompanied by noticeable improvement in movement, with little intervention from a therapist, fatigue levels may have also improved. If not, there are important steps that should be taken to address it. And you may have guessed one very important step, yes – exercise! In fact, exercise fights fatigue and improves general strength and cardiovascular system function. However, the amount of exercise performed should initially be monitored by your doctor and rehabilitation team.

Other strategies that fight post-stroke fatigue include the following:

Rest before you are tired.

In the therapy world, this is one of several energy conservation techniques Occupational Therapists utilize to support stroke recovery.

Know your medications.

Speak with your doctor about medications that may affect your sleep quality or cause daytime drowsiness. After experiencing a stroke, you may find you are taking a handful of new medications to control blood pressure, cholesterol, and/or depression. The side effects for many of the post-stroke medications include increased attention (especially if it is a stimulant), increased fatigue, and/or slowed thinking.

Stay hydrated!

Dehydration not only decreases energy levels it can also leave you feeling light-headed. The combination of decreased energy and feeling light-headed, is not the best formula for recovery from stroke!

Pay attention to your nutrition.

Eating complex carbohydrates and healthy fruits and vegetables play an important role in improving energy levels. Gaining extra weight post-stroke is a slippery slope, as it can decrease the drive to exercise and impact motor control!

Finally, before engaging in any of these post-stroke fatigue strategies, consult your doctors. And remember, even if it feels like you are alone, you’re not! Your doctors and entire post-stroke recovery team is with you every step throughout your recovery process. Lean on them for support!

For more post-stroke recovery tips, download this Post-Stroke Guide for Living Life to Its Fullest:

Trio Rehab’s talented therapists are here to help!

If you or someone you care for is recovering from a stroke, we can help. Give us a call today to make an appointment to see one of our Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Therapists.

Suzanne McCrum, PT, DPT, CSRS, AIB (American Institute of Balance)
Trio Rehabilitation & Wellness Solutions
Boerne, Texas