When recovering from a concussion, routines are extremely important for brain health and healing. Given the current pandemic, many of us have had our daily routines completely upended. As we settle into the changes in our day to day lives, maintaining routines when possible, as well as creating new routines will be helpful to support ongoing recovery. With stay at home orders in most states, we have put together some tips to help get through these trying times while dealing with the effects of a concussion.

According to the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association, up to 90% of people following traumatic brain injury experience visual issues. 90%!! Given that the visual system is such a big driver of symptoms, we thought we would delve into the different symptoms that can occur due to visual dysfunction, as well as the most common visual dysfunctions seen following concussion.

We’ve all heard that exercise is good for our health. It has been associated with benefits for almost all systems in the body including improved cardiovascular health, increased bone mineral density, decreased risk for stroke, diabetes, and cancer. It is also well known for decreased rates of depression.

What do we know about how exercise impacts the brain? Exercise has been associated with improved cognitive function including memory, attention, executive functioning, and problem solving. It has been shown to promote brain vascularization (improved blood flow to the brain). Exercise is linked to a larger volume of the hippocampus, the brain center for learning and memory, and also one area of the brain that is affected in Alzheimer’s. Exercise has also been shown to promote the growth of new neurons in the brains.