Create an Energy Bank
Brain Fitness | 9.21.20 | By Cait Ward & Shilo Zeller, BSc.
For anyone working through symptoms of post-concussion syndrome, you know the challenges of trying to figure out your new normal and working through feelings of anxiety, depression, and redefining the world around you.
Something that has been really helpful for me is figuring out what I need to have a full “energy bank”. What is an energy bank? It’s a way for me to summarize my needs to have an optimal day. By meeting my physical and emotional concussed needs, my energy bank would be full. When fighting against an invisible injury with no apparent timeline for recovery, the conceptualization of my symptoms in the form of this energy bank allowed me to take ownership of those parts of myself that I could control. I found myself being kinder and less judgmental of (what I viewed to be) my broken self.
Here are some questions to help guide you on figuring out your needs to have a full energy bank:
How much water do you need to mitigate symptoms and feel refreshed?
What are some ways you can take mental breaks throughout the day? If you can take a nap, how long does it need to be?
How many hours of sleep do you need a night?
What is the maximum number of hours you can be involved in cognitively demanding tasks before needing a break?
How many meals a day do you need to feel your best?
Please check out Cait’s new website https://www.concussedcait.com/ to learn more about her and join her community!