Oversleeping After Concussion Could Slow Recovery.

A 2025 cohort study of 291 Canadian youths (ages 10–18) found that sleeping more than 9.9 hours per night in the first two weeks after a concussion was linked to more severe symptoms and a higher risk of lingering effects at four weeks.

Using waist-worn accelerometers and daily logs, researchers discovered that each extra hour past ~9.5 hours in week one correlated with worsened symptom scores at one week (e.g., 10.5 vs 9.5 hours resulted in 1.3 higher symptom points). Sleeping 10.9 vs 9.9 hours by week two significantly increased the odds of persistent symptoms (up to OR 1.93).

Instead of pushing extra rest, monitor sleep closely after a concussion—oversleeping might indicate trouble. Share this insight with coaches, parents, and healthcare providers to improve youth concussion management.