'i went for routine daily workout – three years on i've not slept without help'

Ex-Aussie rules football player Paul Seedsman has opened up about a concussion he suffered in 2021 that often leaves him bedridden and unable to sleep unaided for months at a time. The

33-year-old had just played out the best season of his career for the Adelaide Crows when he sustained a concussion during a training session four years ago. His exploits earned him an

All-Australian selection that campaign. A nightmarish ordeal followed, as the head knock's effects were long-lasting, and just two years later, Seedsman had to call time on his AFL

career on the advice of an independent panel. To this day, Seedsman is still affected massively by the incident, and described the daily agony he endures, including being unable to sleep

'for months' without aid, and suffering from nausea and dizzy spells. "I get headaches, nausea and dizziness. Some mornings I wake up and I can't get out of bed,"

Seedsman told Grandstand SA. "Other days, it gradually just increases throughout the day until I have to stop everything. "When I hit the red zone, I can't move, I can't

speak, I just have to lie down. In December, I was bedridden for two to three weeks after doing just a couple of small things one morning." Seedsman likened the episodes he experiences

after his concussion to a stroke, and admitted that he is often unable to move and becomes stuck in an agonising state. "I've never had a stroke, but it sort of feels like

one," he continued. "Eventually, I can move again, but during those moments, I'm completely stuck and in agony." To help deal with this chronic pain, Seedsman takes

antidepressants to help manage the condition, but admits that he has not yet found out his limits. "I have to be really careful about how much I do," he added, discussing his

antidepressant use. "Every day is different, and I haven't figured out the line yet." Sleep has also been an issue for Seedsman on the back of his 2021 concussion, as he

opened up about being unable to rest without being aided, and hopes that his story can help others. "For six months I couldn't sleep at all without help, and that just compounds

everything else," Seedsman revealed. "This is what I live with now. If my story can help someone else or bring awareness, then it's worth telling." Seedsman's wife,

Alice, and young daughter Cami are the ex-AFL star's inspiration during admittedly difficult times, and have allowed the 33-year-old a sense of optimism. "They've given me so

much to hold onto and focus on," Seedsman concluded, touching on the influence of his family. "Even on the worst days, I try to find something good."