In this article I’m going to give you a few of my tricks to fight fatigue as a brain injury Survivor. Now, all of these may not work for you but what I’ve found is that it’s best to go by trial and error to find the things that work for your body and your disability, post brain injury. For myself, I have left side paralysis and double vision which causes things like headaches, dizziness, soreness, numbness and these are a few tricks that help me fight these symptoms and fatigue.
I’m not a doctor, just a fellow brain injury survivor going on 20 years of fighting the good fight. Here we go!
- Sleep – Sometimes the most obvious things are easier to forget even though they’re most important. I’ve noticed that if I don’t get a good amount of sleep, like 7 to 8 hours, then the next day isn’t going to go smoothly and I won’t be very productive. I’m guessing it isn’t easy for everyone to get a good night’s sleep, so here are a few things that help me sleep like a rock!
Sleep wearing a blindfold, sleep mask or something that covers your eyes during the night. When I sleep with a blindfold I wake up far more relaxed and with more energy.
Try to sleep wearing earplugs – I know what you’re thinking, this is crazy but when I first tried it out I slept incredible. And I don’t think it was because of the silence, I believe it was due to the earplugs helping calm my head. If you’re like me, I have a lot of discomfort with my head due to my brain injury and ear plugs help to relax my head, it’s amazing.
- Meditation– I understand there’s a lot of judgment about meditation but give it a try. I think you’ll find it to bring you peace of mind for you, and by having peace of mind you’ll get more energy. Meditation doesn’t need to be this long drawn-out spiritual practice. Start out and try sitting quietly for 1 minute and free your mind of any thoughts and don’t think about anything. Over time meditation will become easier and you’ll really have more mindfulness which will help alleviate anxiety and fatigue.
- Breathing exercises– There are many different breathing exercises to try. Find one that works for you and use it when you need energy or are looking to relax. It can be very useful!
- Drink water– I always feel better when I’m hydrated!
- Exercise– When I exercise consistently I have more energy, confidence and I just feel better overall. I know all brain injury survivors are different and some are limited due to a disability but figure out what works for you. It’ll help with your energy, I promise!
- Take breaks– When you take breaks you’re preserving your body and mind to make it for the long distance. I like to schedule certain times in the day for when I plan to take breaks. Or sometimes if I feel the urge, ‘reI’ll go ahead and take one.
I hope the next time you’re feeling fatigued or anxious one of these tips will work for you. If so, let me know!
If you’re not already a member of the Brain Talk brain injury support group join the discussion! https://www.facebook.com/groups/533388850607894
Or, if you’d like to subscribe to the Brain Talk blog and get updates on new Brain Talk stories and advice go here https://braintalkmedia.com/contact/
test
Thanks for the tips! I use a sleep mask whenever the sun peeks into my windows, either early in the morning or when I take a siesta in the afternoon. I’ve tried meditating but it’s hard to clear my mind of thoughts. I’ll go ahead give that one minute meditation a try!
To gain the benefits of meditation you have to practice regularly! Give it a try!