Attending to the psychological, cognitive, and emotional strain that occurs as a result of a concussion is as important as the physical and neurological symptoms to achieve a full recovery. A very promising approach to overcoming psychological stress is mindfulness meditation: the act of being completely present and focusing your attention on the current bodily sensations and your breath. One study examining youth post-concussion found that mindfulness-based yoga increased their self-efficacy in academic, social, and emotional domains. Several other studies using mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions on patients recovering from mild concussions found that such techniques improved quality of life, self-efficacy for the management of emotional and cognitive symptoms, and working memory. Mindfulness-based treatment options also helped regulate attention, acquire a more positive problem-solving orientation, and reduce depression scores. 

Here are some mindfulness exercises and tips to achieve those benefits:

• Body Scan: You can do this by sitting or lying comfortably and bringing your awareness to your body. Pay attention to the physical feelings and sensations starting from your feet and slowly moving your way up to your head. If your attention drifts, acknowledge these intruding thoughts and then bring your awareness back to your body. You can start by doing this exercise for 5 minutes and increase the duration with more practice. 
• Mindfulness Meditation: Start off by finding a comfortable sitting position and a distraction-free environment. Then, focus your attention on the present by noticing sounds, feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Acknowledge your thoughts to allow them to pass by not holding on to them. Meanwhile, focus on your breathing and the sensation of the air passing through your nose while inhaling and through your mouth as you exhale.
• Active mindfulness could be achieved during everyday activities. You can try practicing mindful eating by directing your attention to the food, i.e its texture, shape, and flavour, and the act of eating such as chewing, saliva production, and swallowing. Another active mindfulness exercise is mindful walking and this is when you focus on the connection with the ground, the movement of the body, and your breath. This is best done while walking barefoot to feel the pressure of the sole of the foot on the ground.
• Mindfulness-based Yoga: This type of yoga differs from western yoga in that it encourages you to scan your body and accept the present sensations you experience in different postures. This allows you to bring awareness to the body and its abilities without judgement. It is important to modify the postures to match your comfort level to avoid injury and over-exhaustion. Consistency is key: None of these exercises will be easy at first because thoughts will wander, but you will be able to focus more on the present with time. To acquire the desired benefits, it is important to stay consistent and practise these exercises frequently.

Some final thoughts: all exercises should not be goal-oriented but rather used as a means to focus on the present sensations. Reduced stress and relaxation are added bonuses, but should not be the focus of mindful practices.

Written by Lea Farah

References

Azulay, J., Smart, C. M., Mott, T., & Cicerone, K. D. (2013). A pilot study examining the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on symptoms of chronic mild traumatic brain Injury/Postconcussive syndrome. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 28(4), 323-331. doi:10.1097/HTR.0b013e318250ebda

BÉdard, M., Felteau, M., Mazmanian, D., Fedyk, K., Klein, R., Richardson, J., . . . Minthorn-Biggs, M. (2003). Pilot evaluation of a mindfulness-based intervention to improve quality of life among individuals who sustained traumatic brain injuries. Disability and Rehabilitation, 25(13), 722-731. doi:10.1080/0963828031000090489

Mindfulness exercises. Retrieved December 08, 2020 from http://www.livingwell.org.au/mindfulness-exercises-3/

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION AND CONCUSSION RECOVERY(2016, May 03). Retrieved December 08, 2020, from https://activehealthcentre.com/tips/mindfulness-meditation-and-concussion-recovery/

Paniccia, M., Knafo, R., Thomas, S., Taha, T., Ladha, A., Thompson, L., & Reed, N. (2019). Mindfulness-based yoga for youth with persistent concussion: A pilot study. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(1), 7301205040p1-7301205040p11. doi:10.5014/ajot.2019.027672