Stroke Awareness Month: Tips for Recovering from a Stroke
It’s important to consider your physical, emotional and mental health when optimizing your stroke recovery process. Paying attention to your mind and body will help you improve your quality of life after a stroke.
The Importance of Consistency
Your brain can rewire and reorganize itself following a stroke. That ability is known as neuroplasticity and allows your brain to continue to create new neural pathways. Your brain relearns skills through repetition and requires stimulation to recover. The more consistent you are with physical and mental rehabilitation, the better your chances of recouping lost skills because of a stroke.
6 Stroke Recovery Tips
#1: Eat Healthy
Your body needs a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals to support cell regeneration and function. Eating well helps you manage your blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure, which reduces your risk for another stroke. Focus on eating whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, lean and plant-based protein, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
Here are some brain foods to include in your diet:
- Avocadoes
- Eggs
- Quinoa
- Legumes
- Blueberries
- Pomegranates
- Citrus fruits
- Apples
- Salmon
#2: Move Often
A stroke can cause paralysis or weakness and affect your coordination and mobility. Implementing a consistent exercise routine helps you regain strength and balance as well as improve your respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
Exercise also enhances neuroplasticity as your brain relearns movements and lost skills. Aerobic exercises get your heart pumping and oxygenate your cells. Go at your own pace and start slowly, increasing the intensity and duration of your routine over time.
Here are some cardio exercises to try:
- Walking
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Dancing
- Cycling
- Yoga
#3: Interact with Others
Socializing reduces your risk of isolation, anxiety and depression. Spending time with your family and friends also provides a much-needed mood boost if you feel frustrated with your recovery.
Engaging with others provides your brain with visual and auditory stimulation, which contributes to cognitive recovery following a stroke. Your loved ones can help you through your rehabilitation process and offer essential emotional support, too.
#4: Keep Your Brain Active
Mental rehabilitation can prevent cognitive decline, maintain emotional well-being and improve long-term brain health. As with any other type of injury, it’s important to keep your brain active to maintain its agility.
Mental exercises that include problem-solving, memorization and reasoning skills that engage different parts of your brain. Board games, crossword puzzles and brain training apps keep your mind active. Reading, learning new skills and practicing a hobby are also effective cognitive exercises.
#5: Get Enough Sleep
A good night’s sleep allows your body to eliminate toxins that negatively affect your brain. Your brain undergoes processes that promote regeneration and memory formation during REM cycles. Information moves from your cerebral cortex to your hippocampus where it remains before becoming a long-term memory. Sleep eases the effects of stress associated with stroke recovery, too.
Consider these tips:
- Go to bed at the same time each night.
- Limit exposure to screens and blue light.
- Keep your environment dark and cool.
- Limit naps in the evening.
#6: Schedule Regular Health Checkups
Your doctors and specialists will track your progress as you recover from a stroke. They will monitor for adverse symptoms and provide recommendations to improve your rehabilitation.
Your physician may also assist with medication management and prescribe prescriptions to help you manage your blood pressure and cholesterol.
In-Home Rehabilitative Services from Ohioans Home Healthcare & Hospice
If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke, Ohioans Home Healthcare & Hospice can help. Our comprehensive in-home physical, occupational and speech therapies are designed to optimize your physical and cognitive abilities. We strive to provide personalized care plans that enhance your quality of life. Learn more about our services, and call 855-600-0806 to schedule a consultation.
“Vasu the physical therapist is wonderful! Conscientious, pleasant, and most importantly, good at what he does. And after 18 orthopedic surgeries, I would know if a PT is good at what he does – or not. He is.”
– Susan O.
“My husband had the same nurse for about 5 months and we could not have gotten better care. He went out of his way to help keep my husband comfortable.”
– Doris P
Ohioans Home Healthcare – Ann Arbor, MI
“Ohioans Home Healthcare of Bryan are some great people who care. It is refreshing to talk to some people who love their job and the things they do. Very professional and friendly. Thanks Kim, Sherry, Amanda and Susie”
– J Gochenour
Ohioans Home Healthcare – Bryan, OH
“I highly recommend your agency to family and friends. The services were excellent and both my nurse, Jen, RN, and physical therapist Jennifer, COTA, were very professional. I have to admit I was uncomfortable at first at the thought of having nursing and therapy but they made me feel at ease!”
“My home health nurse Eve is an angel! I was so nervous about having strangers in my home after a bad fall and needling another back surgery and now Eve is like family! I would definitely recommend Ohioans to friends and family!”
– Samantha J
Ohioans Home Healthcare – Perrysburg, OH
“Theresa took care of my uncle one day – was somewhat of an emergency. She squeezed him in, in between her other appointments and resolved our care issues quickly. She was so patient, kind, caring….I told her she was an angel.”
– Mary G
Ohioans Home Healthcare – Perrysburg, OH
“I had excellent care. My nurse Rochelle, RN was very attentive and friendly. Have used this agency years ago when my wife had heart surgery.”
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– Lindsey H
Ohioans Home Healthcare – Sandusky, OH
“Great service, caring and kind nurse. Marie, RN was knowledgeable about all aspects of my condition and helped both myself and my wife with aftercare. Would highly recommend her to any person in need of services. Thank you for all you help!”
“This agency is wonderful! The staff is kind, talented and very compassionate. This is my favorite experience in my latest healthcare journey. It was hard to be patient, as an RN, I wanted to be “fixed” right now!! I learned that the human body is even more intricate than I knew. Every department I worked with was great. Nursing (Jessica, RN, Jackie, LPN, Caitlin, RN,), therapy (Miranda, COTA), (Greg PTA) and all the Office and Eval Staff made my life better! I would choose them again without a question!”
“Outstanding home health care! My wife is a cancer and ilieostomy patient and has received Ohioans Home Health Care for three+ months. The care included both home physical and occupational therapy, as well as home nursing. I can’t say enough good things about all the services they have provided. They were very professional, compassionate as well as extremely knowledgeable in each if their capacities. We recently came to Florida for a few months, and are in the process of getting home health care here since Ohioan does not cover this area, and I can only hope it as good as what we received in Ohio. I highly recommend this company.”
– John M
Ohioans Home Healthcare – Perrysburg, OH
“Excellent service from our nurse. She was thoughtful, knowledgeable, punctual, and very responsive when we texted questions. Among many health care providers with whom we have interacted over the years, I would rate our nurse among the very best.”
“I love my nurse, Tonikae!! Professional, exceptionally kind, she always calls and comes on time. Manages my meds perfectly. I never worry about taking them like I did with other nurses. When she administers my shots they never hurt. “
– Ms Sherman
Ohioans Home Healthcare – Perrysburg, OH
