Why a TBI Brain Likes Routine
The month of March is Brain Injury Awareness Month.
It is recognized worldwide and has become an excellent opportunity to raise awareness, share knowledge, and educate about all things brain injury.
If you missed some of our previous posts about brain injuries as a silent epidemic, concussions, the consequences of a TBI, and types of TBIs, I encourage you to check them out.
If you have been following me for a while, you likely know how personally connected I am to the topic of brain injuries. If you’re not, the TBI my husband sustained in 2012 led me to discover neuronutrition. Since his TBI, I quit teaching to become a nutritionist with a special focus on brain health, including TBIs. So I encourage you to explore the website and take in all the information we’ve shared. Hopefully, something will resonate with you, and you’ll be able to find the information and help you need.
I also want to take a step back and let you know that the information presented here is not solely for those who have sustained a brain injury.
It is also intended for anyone who knows a brain-injured person, works with them, puts themselves at risk for acquiring one, or is a caregiver to a brain injury survivor.
For the record, if you sustain a brain injury, it does not mean that you had to loose consciousness, or that you’ll end up with long-term brain damage. A brain injury can result from a slip on the ice, a fender bender, walking into a wall, or having a heavy object fall on your head. And yes, a concussion is a brain injury.
I also want to add that there is no such thing as a “mild” brain injury. Yes, there can be different degrees of damage, but there is still damage. Anyone who says they experienced a “mild” brain injury may still struggle with symptoms years later. That’s in part to the biochemical changes that take place upon impact. Combined with the state of your nervous system upon injury, your nutritional status, and your body’s ability to cope, all these effects and more play a role in your recovery.
Speaking of recovery, let’s talk about that.
Have you suffered a traumatic brain injury?
If so, you may be wondering what the best way to recover is. One of the most important things is to stick with your routine. It may not always be easy, but it will help speed up the healing process and make life easier for you in general.
Part of your routine should include sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, maintaining a healthy diet, and exercising regularly. These are all things that can help improve your quality of life after suffering from a TBI.
Keep reading to learn more about how neuronutrition and sticking to a routine helps people recover from TBIs.
What Is a TBI?
Let’s start at the beginning.
What exactly is a TBI?
A traumatic brain injury or TBI is an injury that occurs when the brain collides with the skull as a result of blunt force trauma. By definition, the CDC describes a TBI as any head injury that disrupts the brain’s normal functioning.
A TBI can happen due to an accident such as a car crash, fall, or sports injury. Depending on the type and severity of the injury, the results can be dire. In 2019, there were about 166 TBI-related deaths each day. Of course, these represent the worst-case scenario.
There are several different types of TBI, all of which can be classified as either closed-head or open-head. As it sounds, an open-head injury is one in which the skull has been cracked open. But far more common and often misunderstood are closed-head injuries.
Some of the most common include a coup-contrecoup brain injury, concussion, contusion, diffuse axonal injury, second impact syndrome, and a penetrating injury. Read more about each type, along with typical symptoms, here.
What Happens to the Brain?
When you suffer a brain injury, your brain can go through similar phases as one might experience when having surgery. It goes into a state of shock, and your heart rate slows, which is why TBIs are often compared to cardiac arrest.
After the initial trauma has passed (and if the initial injury isn’t too severe), your brain’s neurons will begin to recover. And though it may take a while, you will gradually rebound from your TBI and be functional once again.
Will you go back to being 100% as you were before? Some people may, but many will not. So what can you do to support yourself after a TBI?
What Can I Do to Speed Up the Process?
Part of the recovery process is to stick with a routine. This means keeping a strict sleep schedule, eating healthy, and exercising regularly.
People who have suffered from TBIs often find that a routine makes life easier and can help them get over neurofatigue. For example, if you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, it will be easier for your brain to regulate itself and get into a natural rhythm. This will also make it less likely that you’ll experience problems like insomnia or other sleep-related disorders.
Similarly, eating a healthy diet can help promote rapid healing. Some of the best foods to enjoy in abundance to support recovery include wild fatty fish loaded with omega 3 fatty acids, avocados, dark green leafy vegetables, whole eggs, and a variety of colourful fruits and veggies like berries, carrots, and beets.
While enjoying all these wonderful and nutrient-dense whole foods, be sure to avoid neurotoxins. Sugar, deep-fried processed foods, and artificial sweeteners are toxic to the brain and can worsen symptoms.
Of course, sticking to a regular exercise routine can also help your brain function at full capacity as it speeds up the healing process. You don’t have to overexert yourself (aside from the fact this is impossible if you deal with dizziness or vertigo), but move when and how you can.
These things come together as part of a complete approach to recovery. The bottom line is that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to fully recover from TBIs. So be sure to stick with it!
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—rose b. (united kingdom)
Why Does Routine Help With Recovery?
1. Routine Establishes a Sense of Stability
First, routines help establish a sense of normalcy and stability. This can be very important for people who have suffered from TBIs as their lives may feel very chaotic and unstable after the injury.
Attaining a sense of stability can help you better focus on the things that will have a long-term impact. For example, you may need to limit what activities and responsibilities you take on to allow your brain time to recuperate and heal. Doing too much too soon does not make for a good recovery, and you will regret it later - often once it’s too late.
But when your life is full of daily routines, even if they include personal care, nourishing your body, and attending medical appointments, it can be easier to focus on your goals and what you need to do to reach them.
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2. Routine Promotes Healthy Habits
Second, a routine promotes healthy habits. When you stick to a routine, it’s easier to make healthy decisions like eating well and exercising. This is because you establish a pattern that becomes part of your daily life.
This is important because it can help your brain heal as quickly as possible. Depriving your body of those basic needs will only set you back in your recovery and prolong the process. We’ll tell you a bit more about some of these healthy habits in a moment.
3. Routine Helps Brain Function
And finally, routine helps the brain function more efficiently. When you stick to a routine, your brain gets used to doing things in a certain way, making it more efficient and better able to regulate itself.
Plus, when your brain gets used to doing things in a certain way, it becomes better at regulating those functions. This can minimize the side effects of TBIs and make it easier for you to get back to your normal life.
In addition, sticking to a predictable routine prevents (or at least minimizes) any surprises from arising. Any TBI survivor knows just how detrimental the unexpected can be!
Now that we have explored the benefits of creating and sticking to a routine let’s consider four good places to start.
Good Routines To Help TBI Recovery
Establish a Stable Sleep Schedule
This means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (within reasonable limits). If you typically go to bed around 10 PM, don’t stay awake until midnight on a Friday night, as it will be hard to get out of bed Saturday morning.
Though it may be difficult after injury, sleep is crucial to allow neurons to regenerate and toxins to be shed. It’s also a time to recharge your already-diminished battery. So, do your best to get ample sleep according to a schedule that works for you.
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Start Eating Healthier
As mentioned earlier, stick to nutrient-dense whole foods as often as possible. Eating healthy after a TBI also includes cutting back on things like caffeine and sugar, even though these are commonly used in a brain fog diet. Caffeine and sugar can keep your brain stimulated long into the night, making it difficult to sleep.
You should also consider eating regular meals. This is a good way of sticking to a routine while allowing your brain to get the energy it needs to heal. If you don’t eat enough or consume balanced nutritious meals, your body can’t function at its best.
For help with an individualized nutrition plan to speed your TBI recovery, speak with a nutrition coach.
Get Moving
Exercising doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym and spend hours working out, even if that was what you were doing pre-injury. As you recover, take it easy on yourself and just do your best to get moving. Aim for at least 30 minutes each day as a form of TBI treatment.
Movement is important because exercise releases endorphins, which can help improve your mood and make you feel better overall. It can also help improve your memory and make it easier to focus on tasks.
Get Organized
You may also want to create a checklist of daily tasks and start checking them off one by one as you accomplish each. Your checklist can include basic things like brushing your teeth, taking a shower, making your bed, and eating breakfast. Add to your list reminders to drink water and take your supplements. For some, the act of getting out of bed can be a challenge and a good place to start.
Staying organized with a checklist can support recovery. When you check things off the list, it can feel like you’re making progress and getting closer to your goals. It can also help give you a sense of accomplishment.
Get Started With Your Neuronutrition Routines
To summarize, routine and neuronutrition are important parts of the recovery process from TBIs.
They can help you establish a sense of normalcy, promote healthy habits, and help the brain function more efficiently. When combined with other therapies like physiotherapy and speech therapy, your routine can become an essential part of your overall recovery plan.
If you’re not sure where to start, contact us today!
As always, I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Let me know what you think by dropping me a line or commenting below.
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[Medical Disclaimer]
Please consult with your doctor(s) before starting any new mental or physical health improvement program. The advice I offer is not intended to replace that of your medical practitioner. I am not a medical professional, nor am I qualified to diagnose, cure treat, or prevent disease. The advice I provide on this website is intended for a broad and diverse audience, and as such, deals with general lifestyle concepts, not specific healthcare advice. This material disclaims any liability or loss in connection with the advice expressed herein.