7 Ways to Prepare for Bed in Case of a Seizure While Sleeping

Some may ask how I know when I had a seizure in my sleep. Honestly, I wake up with war wounds. I usually wake up feeling extremely tired, even though I slept 8 hours or more. Or when I walk into the bathroom, I have a busted lip and bruises. So I'm like, okay, I had a seizure last night.

The other night, I went to bed relatively late, around 4 a.m. I know, I know – that's late! As I had been doing work all week for school, and I'd been pushing myself to stay up. Which is not good at all for me, and I know that. But I had deadlines and I didn't do my usual self-care before bed. In retrospect, I should have.

The seizures that occur during sleep are called nocturnal seizures. I started to wonder: How can I protect myself even before bed? I needed to figure out a way to have a safe slumber, even if I have a seizure. Here are my tips.

My tips for if you have seizures in your sleep

1. Don't sleep on a sofa or chair.

These are places where you can fall off. If you are in your bed, you have a better chance of staying in bed. I try to avoid falling asleep on my sofa. I honestly like to wind down there and then jump in my bed.

2. Sleep in the middle of my bed.

Usually, I would sleep on the left side of the bed. But I've started to sleep in the middle of the bed. I find sleeping in the middle of the bed is safer because of my seizure activity. I have less chance of falling out of it. At least that's what I hope.

3. Place pillows around the bed and/or lower the bed.

Okay, so I am the QUEEN of pillows! But when it's time to go to bed, I put pillows around my bed. If I do happen to fall out of bed, I will land on my pillows. Also, lowering the bed can help break your fall.

4. Sleep on your side rather than your stomach.

I've found it's best to sleep on my side and be conscious as much as possible about how I sleep. I had to make myself sleep on my side and that's the only way I can sleep now.

5. Get edge protectors for the nightstand.

Investing in edge protectors for your nightstand can be beneficial for people who have seizures in their sleep. Now, try to get protectors with a cushion and look into "babyproofing" techniques. This will help if you fall out the bed and you have a nightstand near. The cushion will help soften those edges to prevent injuries.

6. Wear a seizure alert bracelet.

I can't stress this enough: If you live alone, a seizure alert bracelet will help! It will notify your loved ones when you have a seizure.

7. Have a restful night!

Above all else, have a restful night! And try to get some good sleep.

Protecting ourselves from nighttime seizures

Okay, now that you know how to do this much-needed self-care before bed, let's get your bed together! Please feel free to add some suggestions in the comments below. What do you do to protect yourself from seizures in your sleep?