Why do people tell you not to go to sleep after hitting your head really hard on something?

Question

I've always wondered why do they tell you that and no one seems to know...do you??? Help me out plz!!!!

Answer 1

Hard knocks to the head may have consequences later on that will not be apparent if you decide to fall asleep - concussions are not to be taken lightly, and there also could be a build up of pressure on the brain from bleeding....so it is a good idea to stay awake and be alert to any changes in vision, talking, head pain, etc...

Answer 2

because you might not wake back up
if you bash you head really hard you'll get a concussion- your brain can bleed and/or swell. Either way the pressure in your skull is going up. It has no where to swell since that skull doesn't let things expand.
Think about smashing you finger in the door-it about doubles in size- your brain reacts the same way but has no where to go. If the brain expands it causes the person to behave oddly or to stop responding to people (they would appear asleep to the untrained eye)
Someone must wake the person up every X amount of time (it'll vary based on how severe the injury) to make sure that they are able to wake up, and respond to questions correctly. This means that the brain isn't swelling to the point that the person might die. Then the person can go back to sleep for X amount of time again. If the fail the test off to the hospital to crack open the skull and release the pressure they go!

Answer 3

They say that because drowsiness/sleepiness can be one sign of concussion or more serious brain injury (like a blood clot forming in the brain, for instance)...and they're worried you might slip into some unarousable state of unconsciousness as a result and they wouldn't know the difference. I also think it's a bit of general paranoia about head injury...the whole idea freaks people out and they get all worried.

Answer 4

There is a possibility that after suffering a concussion, you could have internal bleeding, or swelling in your brain.

By keeping a person awake, and asking them simple questions on a regular basis (1/4 hour), it can be determined by their answer, and the way they answer if the brain has been damaged, and if the pressure from swelling or bleeding needs to be reduced.

If you allow the person to go to sleep, any warning signs of trouble will go un-noticed, and be quite serious, and potentially fatal.

Answer 5

When you hit your head you could have done damage to the brain. Falling asleep may lead to a coma. With out knowing what the damage, if any, is you should stay awake so that you don't slip into a coma, that is why they tell you to stay awake....

Answer 6

I think that if you go to sleep you can go into a coma. It has something to do with keeping the brain active and not shutting down.

Answer 7

You need to have your brain up and ready again if you go nighty night u may be going to your death bed because of a concussion.

Answer 8

Probably something to do with going to sleep and never waking up. I heard it was a myth.

Answer 9

You may fall asleep and never wake. They try to see if you have side effects and symptons of a head contusion

Answer 10

So as to make your mind work, and heal. because there may be blood coagulating in it, so that if you feel dizzy you speak, not just sleep, because you may die, if there is lots of blood flowing in