Concussion Recovery Tips You Can Do at Home
If you've had a concussion and are wondering what you can actually do at home to help yourself recover, you're in the right place.
There is a lot of conflicting advice about concussion recovery. Should you rest? Exercise? Avoid screens? Take supplements? Push through symptoms? Wait until you feel better?
The truth is that recovery isn't about doing nothing until your symptoms disappear.
There are things you can actively do to support your recovery and gradually rebuild your tolerance to normal life.
Your brain and body need energy, movement, sleep, nutrition, and appropriate stimulation to recover. And if you're still experiencing symptoms weeks or months after your concussion, it may be important to look beyond the symptoms themselves and determine what is contributing to them.
The goal isn't simply to manage or mask your symptoms.
It's to identify what is contributing to them and address the underlying cause.
Here are some of the most important concussion recovery strategies you can start using at home.
1. Start Moving — Don't Stay in Bed
One of the biggest misconceptions about concussion recovery is that you need to completely rest until you feel normal.
That's not what current concussion guidance recommends.
After a brief period of relative rest, gradually returning to normal activities and physical activity is encouraged as tolerated. Strict rest until symptoms completely resolve is not recommended.
That doesn't mean you should immediately go back to intense workouts.
It means start where you are and gradually build from there.
For some people, that might mean:
A short walk
Easy stationary cycling
Recumbent cycling
Gentle mobility exercises
Light strength training
Gradually increasing everyday activity
If an activity causes a significant or prolonged increase in symptoms, that may be a sign that the intensity or duration needs to be adjusted.
The goal is progression.
You're trying to gradually increase what your brain and body can tolerate.
Don't wait until you're completely symptom-free before you start moving.
2. Find the Right Exercise Starting Point
Exercise can be one of the most powerful tools in concussion recovery.
But the right exercise for you depends on where you're starting.
If walking for 20 minutes leaves you feeling terrible for the rest of the day, that doesn't necessarily mean exercise is bad for you.
It may mean that 20 minutes is too much right now.
You might start with:
Five minutes instead of 20
A slower pace
Recumbent cycling instead of running
Shorter intervals
More recovery between efforts
Then gradually increase the duration and intensity as your tolerance improves.
Research supports graded physical exercise as one of the rehabilitation approaches that may help people with persistent post-concussion symptoms.
Related article:
Why Does Exercise Make My Concussion Symptoms Worse?
3. Eat Enough Protein and Whole Foods
Nutrition is one of the simplest things you can address every day.
Your brain requires energy and nutrients to function, and your body needs adequate nutrition while it is recovering from an injury.
You don't need a complicated "concussion diet."
Instead, focus on the basics.
Eat whole foods
Build your meals around foods such as:
Vegetables and fruit
Eggs
Fish
Meat or poultry
Beans and legumes
Whole grains
Nuts and seeds
Healthy fats
Prioritize protein
Try to include a protein source with each meal.
Examples include:
Eggs
Greek yogurt
Chicken
Fish
Beef
Cottage cheese
Beans
Lentils
Tofu
Don't skip meals
Going long periods without eating can make fatigue, headaches, shakiness, or difficulty concentrating feel worse for some people.
Regular meals provide your body with a more consistent source of energy throughout the day.
4. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is easy to overlook, but dehydration can contribute to symptoms such as:
Headaches
Fatigue
Dizziness
Poor concentration
Feeling lightheaded
Keep water available throughout the day and drink regularly rather than waiting until you're extremely thirsty.
Staying well hydrated is important during concussion recovery, and adding electrolytes can be a simple way to support hydration, particularly if you're exercising, sweating, or struggling with symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.
Related article:
POTS After Concussion: Symptoms, Blood Pressure & Treatment
5. Consider Supplements as Part of a Bigger Recovery Plan
Certain nutrients and supplements may provide additional support during concussion recovery.
Some have anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties, while others are important for normal brain function and energy metabolism.
Examples that have been studied in relation to brain health include:
Omega-3 fatty acids
Magnesium
Vitamin D
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Curcumin
These aren't a replacement for rehabilitation, but they may be a useful adjunct to a broader recovery plan.
If you're considering supplements, talk with your healthcare provider about whether they're appropriate for you, particularly if you take medications or have another medical condition.
The goal isn't to find one supplement that fixes your concussion. It's to give your body the nutritional support it needs while you address the other factors contributing to your symptoms.
6. Prioritize Sleep
Sleep is one of the most important foundations of recovery.
Unfortunately, sleep problems are also common after concussion and can make other symptoms—such as fatigue, headache, mood changes, and cognitive difficulties—more difficult to manage.
Try to:
Keep a consistent wake-up time
Go to bed at roughly the same time each night
Get natural light during the day
Exercise regularly, as tolerated
Avoid excessive caffeine late in the day
Create a relaxing bedtime routine
Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet
If you're having persistent insomnia, don't assume you simply need to "try harder" to sleep. Sleep problems may need their own targeted treatment.
Related article:
Why Do I Still Have Concussion Symptoms Months Later?
7. Don't Stay in a Dark Room All Day
If light makes your symptoms worse, it can be tempting to spend the entire day in a dark room.
But complete avoidance of normal sensory input isn't the goal of recovery.
Instead, gradually rebuild your tolerance.
The same concept can apply to:
Screens
Bright lights
Noise
Exercise
Busy environments
Social activities
Work or school
You don't need to eliminate everything that causes symptoms.
You need to gradually teach your brain and body that these activities are tolerable again.
Related article:
Screen Time After a Concussion: How Much Is Too Much?
8. Gradually Return to Screens
Screens can be particularly difficult after a concussion because they combine visual, cognitive, and attentional demands.
If screens make you symptomatic, don't assume you have to completely eliminate them.
Instead, experiment with:
Shorter periods
Lower brightness
Larger text
Taking breaks
Increasing viewing time gradually
Reducing other demands when you're using a screen
The goal is to build tolerance rather than avoid screens indefinitely.
9. Address Dizziness and Balance Problems
If dizziness is one of your biggest symptoms, simply waiting for it to go away may not be your best strategy.
Some people with persistent concussion symptoms benefit from vestibular rehabilitation, which may address:
Gaze stabilization
Balance
Motion sensitivity
Visual-vestibular interaction
Habituation
Vestibular function
Vestibular rehabilitation is one of the interventions included in clinical recommendations for persistent post-concussion symptoms, although the certainty of evidence is limited.
Related article:
Why Am I Dizzy After a Concussion?
10. Pay Attention to Your Autonomic Nervous System
Your autonomic nervous system helps regulate things such as:
Heart rate
Blood pressure
Breathing
Temperature
Digestion
Your response to physical stress
Some people notice that after a concussion they:
Become dizzy when standing
Have a rapid increase in heart rate during exercise
Become unusually fatigued
Feel worse after prolonged standing
Have significant exercise intolerance
Feel better when lying down
These symptoms don't automatically mean you have POTS or another autonomic disorder.
But they may be clues that autonomic regulation is contributing to your symptoms.
Related article:
Post-Concussion Autonomic Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes & What Helps
And if you're experiencing significant heart-rate or blood-pressure changes when standing, consider discussing them with your healthcare provider.
11. Don't Ignore Your Neck
Your neck can be an important piece of the concussion puzzle.
A concussion can occur along with a whiplash-type movement or cervical injury.
Neck-related problems can contribute to:
Headaches
Dizziness
Neck pain
Reduced neck mobility
Difficulty tolerating activity
If your symptoms started after an impact involving your head and neck, it's worth considering whether your cervical spine is contributing to your symptoms.
A physical therapist can evaluate whether neck mobility, strength, or other cervical factors may be part of the picture.
Manual treatment of the neck and back is one of the rehabilitation approaches included in recommendations for persistent post-concussion symptoms.
12. Give Your Nervous System Opportunities to Recover
Recovery isn't just about exercise.
Your nervous system also needs periods of lower demand.
That might mean:
Taking a walk outside
Spending time in nature
Breathing exercises
Meditation
Relaxation
Spending time with people you enjoy
Doing activities that don't overwhelm your symptoms
This doesn't mean you need to avoid stimulation.
It means learning how to balance activity with recovery.
13. Stop Chasing Every Symptom
This is one of the most important concepts in concussion recovery.
You may have a headache, so you focus entirely on your headache.
Then you notice dizziness, so you focus on the dizziness.
Then brain fog becomes the biggest problem.
Then exercise makes you feel worse.
It's easy to end up chasing symptoms one at a time.
But symptoms can have overlapping causes.
For example, your headache could be influenced by your neck.
Your dizziness could involve your vestibular system.
Your exercise intolerance could involve autonomic regulation.
Your brain fog could be influenced by sleep, visual demands, fatigue, or cognitive load.
The goal isn't simply to manage or mask your symptoms. It's to identify what is contributing to them and address the underlying cause.
That is a much more useful way to think about concussion recovery.
What If You've Already Tried All of This?
Maybe you've already:
Started exercising
Improved your diet
Tried supplements
Worked on your sleep
Cut back on screens
Tried meditation
Increased your activity
And you're still not feeling like yourself.
That doesn't necessarily mean you're doing something wrong.
It may mean you haven't identified which systems are actually contributing to your symptoms.
Persistent concussion symptoms can involve multiple overlapping factors, which is why current evidence supports individualized rather than one-size-fits-all rehabilitation.
A More Structured Approach to Concussion Recovery
If you're trying to figure all of this out on your own, it can be difficult to know what to do first, how much to do, and how to progress.
That's why I created The Concussion Solution.
The program provides a structured approach to working on the systems that can contribute to persistent concussion symptoms, including exercise tolerance, autonomic regulation, vestibular function, visual and cognitive symptoms, neck-related symptoms, sleep, and recovery strategies.
You can work through it from home and progress at your own pace.
Ready for a More Structured Approach?
Learn More & Start Your Recovery
Frequently Asked Questions About Concussion Recovery
What can I do at home to help recover from a concussion?
Helpful strategies can include gradually returning to physical activity, eating a nutritious diet, staying hydrated, prioritizing sleep, gradually rebuilding tolerance to screens and other activities, and addressing specific symptoms such as dizziness, neck pain, or exercise intolerance.
Should I rest after a concussion?
A brief period of relative rest is recommended immediately after a concussion, but prolonged strict rest is not. Current guidance recommends gradually returning to normal activities and physical activity as tolerated.
Can exercise help concussion recovery?
Yes. Appropriately prescribed and progressed exercise can be an important part of concussion rehabilitation. The appropriate starting point depends on the individual's symptoms and exercise tolerance.
What should I eat after a concussion?
Focus on a balanced diet containing whole foods, adequate protein, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and sufficient calories and fluids. There is no single diet proven to cure concussion.
Can supplements help concussion recovery?
Some nutrients and supplements have properties that may support normal brain function or help address nutritional deficiencies. They should be considered an adjunct to—not a replacement for—appropriate concussion care.
Should I avoid screens after a concussion?
You may need to temporarily reduce screen exposure if it significantly worsens your symptoms, particularly immediately after injury. However, prolonged complete avoidance is generally not the goal. Screen tolerance can usually be gradually rebuilt.
Why do I still have concussion symptoms months later?
Persistent symptoms can have multiple contributors, including exercise intolerance, vestibular dysfunction, neck-related problems, sleep disturbance, autonomic dysfunction, headache, visual or cognitive demands, and other factors. Identifying the contributors can help determine which treatments are most appropriate.
When should I see a healthcare professional for persistent concussion symptoms?
If symptoms aren't improving, are interfering with your normal activities, or are getting worse, it's appropriate to seek evaluation. Persistent symptoms may benefit from targeted rehabilitation rather than simply waiting for them to resolve.
Related Concussion Recovery Articles
If you're trying to figure out why you're still having symptoms, these articles may help:
Why Do I Still Have Concussion Symptoms Months Later?
Understand why symptoms can persist and why multiple systems may contribute.
Why Does Exercise Make My Concussion Symptoms Worse?
Learn how exercise intolerance can occur and how to approach activity progression.
Post-Concussion Autonomic Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes & What Helps
Learn how autonomic regulation may contribute to dizziness, fatigue, exercise intolerance, and other symptoms.
POTS After Concussion: Symptoms, Blood Pressure & Treatment
Learn more about orthostatic intolerance, heart-rate changes, and POTS after concussion.
Screen Time After a Concussion: How Much Is Too Much?
Learn how to gradually return to screens without unnecessarily avoiding normal activity.
Why Are My Concussion Symptoms Getting Worse?
Understand why symptoms can fluctuate and what may contribute to setbacks.
Ready for a More Structured Approach?
If you've been trying to figure out concussion recovery on your own and you're still struggling, The Concussion Solution provides a structured approach you can follow from home.
