The one thing you should prioritize after known subconcussive exposure is sleep. Subconcussions are head impacts that don’t result in clinical symptoms, but there is subtle neuro-inflammation post subconcussive exposure. [1-2]
Sleep can be a touchy subject for tactical athletes. You know the importance of sleep, but your sleep deprivation is often outside of your control due to the demands of your job.
I want to acknowledge those challenges but present the argument for why it is so important to prioritize sleep after known subconcussive exposure.
Sleep is one of the best ways for our body to decrease the inflammation in our brain.
During sleep there is significant increase in activity of a brain waste removal system called the glymphatic system. This helps to remove the inflammation particles in your brain. [3]
This is important because the cumulative impact of this neuro-inflammation over time impacts performance- including reaction times, emotional control, and memory- as well as risk for neuro-degenerative disease like ALS, Dementia, and Parkinson’s.
Knowing the 4 mechanisms of subconcussive impacts helps you to find the areas that are within your control to prioritize sleep after exposure.
It could be after a day at the range, sparring, or riding bulls.
And if you’re in a leadership position, or when you are in one, look for opportunities during training to prioritize sleep after subconcussive exposures.
Don’t expect perfection, find opportunities for progress, and prioritize the most important times to get sleep- this includes after subconcussive exposures.
References:
- Tschiffely, A. E., Statz, J. K., Edwards, K. A., Goforth, C., Ahlers, S. T., Carr, W. S., & Gill, J. M. (2020). Assessing a blast-related biomarker in an operational community: glial fibrillary acidic protein in experienced breachers. Journal of neurotrauma, 37(8), 1091-1096.
- Boutte, A. M., Thangavelu, B., LaValle, C. R., Nemes, J., Gilsdorf, J., Shear, D. A., & Kamimori, G. H. (2019). Brain-related proteins as serum biomarkers of acute, subconcussive blast overpressure exposure: a cohort study of military personnel. PLoS one, 14(8), e0221036.
- Jessen, N. A., Munk, A. S. F., Lundgaard, I., & Nedergaard, M. (2015). The glymphatic system: a beginner’s guide. Neurochemical research, 40(12), 2583-2599.