What tasks are most taxing on the brain
 

I haven't been able to find much info on the subject so figured I would ask here.

I'm trying to figure out a hierarchy for what I can do if I am resting and get restless and feel the need to do something.

I find when doing absolutely nothing my mind wanders a mile a minute and I worry that it's counter productive to my resting.

It almost seems that doing a simple task that occupies my mind but slows it down would be better.

I'm thinking out of the things I like to do the order from most taxing to least taxing would be:

Working out
Video games
TV
Surfing the net
Reading
Music

Has anyone received specific advice on this subject from a specialist.

I plan to ask at my upcoming appointment on June 9 but figured it would be good to hear what others have been told on the subject.

Cheers.

Yes, many TBI folks find a simple task can focus the mind and reduce anxiety.

I tend to shy away from video games and tv. Flashing images give me a headache. Reading can be intellectually demanding. I prefer a simple game of solitaire or even just shuffling (as best I can) the deck.

Most taxing...

- reading
- exercising hard
- things that take more than one sense... so something that takes a sight and a sound or a touch and a sound...
- strangely enough.. matching socks

least..

- mundane tasks..
- solitaire
- candy crush
- cooking simple things


These are just things I have done... I am sure that you will get different answers from everyone on here...

Mojoe-

This list will be different for everyone here. ("If you've met one person with a concussion, you've seen one concussion). Due to the nature of brain injury, what may be an impairment for some, might not be for others.

I would suggest trying various activities and keeping track of your symptoms so you can create the hierarchy of what your brain finds taxing.

That being said, some overarching things to consider:

1) Anything that increases your heart rate to a high level, typically is very taxing.

2) Depending on how your sensory processing has been affected, make sure you don't choose something that will be overstimulating. (For example, if bright lights flair your symptoms, don't select an activity that involves screen time, so computer games, movies, etc. would be more taxing choices)

3) If your neck is also an issue, make sure you chose activities that will support your head and neck, (e.g. running would make your neck bounce around a lot, so it would be taxing).

4) If you are bothered by temperature/weather changes, be careful what you do outdoors. (I get overheated very easy, so if it's hot and humid, I can't walk my dog).

5) If your vision is an issue, things like computer games that require a lot of visual processing or reading, may be taxing. (At the beginning I still read, I just made my kindle font ridiculously big with lots of space between words).

I'm sure you get the idea. You just need to figure out for yourself what your brain tolerates and what it doesn't.

My favorite distractors while I was still dealing with a high level of symptoms were watching real life crime dramas, like on the Investigation Discovery Channel. They repeat a lot so I could see if I remember how one ended, when I caught a repeat. I also enjoy crocheting, as it's really more muscle memory for me than a whole lot of thinking, but its enough to distract my brain from ruminating.

I think it depends on the person. I find reading - as in, an actual book, not stuff online - to be the most taxing. I can barely do more than a page.

TV and Internet used to be the worst for me, but now I can handle them. I have found that closing my eyes during commercial breaks helps. If I forget to do that, I end up in a lot of pain.

Candy Crush used to make me feel terrible and cause an excruciating headache, but for the past week or so, I have found it very relaxing.

Mojoe,

It will help if you try to learn your signs that you are pushing too hard. Needing to reread a sentence or paragraph is a good sign of brain fatigue. Struggling to focus of any kind is a sign of fatigue. As mentioned, tasks that use two or more senses can be a problem. Video games require visual processing, may have audio stimulation and require fast visual scanning and processing with a cognitive load to top it off.

For me, Hi Def TV is taxing. I can not relax while viewing a Hi Def TV.

Keep in mind that sometimes, you will not pay for overdoing it until the next day. Adrenaline can pull you through the activity leaving you to crash the next day.

We all have had to go through the PCS school of hard knocks. Some keep a journal to learn about their triggers.

Hope you can figure out yours.

My best to you.

Before my TBI, I wrote professionally, so not being able to read was devastating.

Part of the trouble was the frustration (and despair) I experienced because I couldn't remember the characters and plot, from one session to the next. My psychologist suggested writing a little summary every time I finished a section, then reading that summary before picking up the book again.

That helped, a bit. I still can't handle complex novels or ones with too many characters (sorry, PD James), but I've progressed beyond young reader novelettes.

I know I'm missing a lot of the nuance and symbolism: if I read Moby ****, now, it would be a fishing story. I also can't remember a book once I've finished it.

On the plus side, that latter bit means we save a bundle on books, because I can read the same one over and over. ;)

Hockey-

I really struggled with plot too. (I read War and Peace a few months post and don't remember any of it ;-)

Over time this got better for me. I think one of the things that helped me was to watch TV shows, movies, etc that I could repeat. I really liked watching things like the First 48, or other true crime shows. They repeat often, and it was fun at the beginning trying to remember who did it, if they got caught, etc. It also helps you start to work on sequencing skills, which can be a cognitive issue for many of us.

I really hope for you, that you too can get those skills back over time. I still am not the greatest at remembering all the details, but I am able to enjoy reading at a deeper level like I have done in the past. I went through about two years of reading to pass the time, knowing I wouldn't remember much when I picked up my book again. Once I was okay with that, it was a nice distractor. Over time I started gaining some of my memory back.

Do you have visual processing issues?

Hey Mojoe,

I think it's different for everyone.
I was going crazy bored, but everything I was doing made me overstimulated.

My vestibular therapist said- u gotta stop doing that.

I didn't know what to do. I was lost!

My neuropsychologist had me try different hobbies that didn't bring out my symptoms.

For me it was making jewelry. I went slow and looked at picture and if my head did tire I took a break. I use my hand a lot, I feel productive, people love what I make, and it make me happy.

The other thing I discovered right away was that I could look at pictures or funnies. Does not bother me like reading or typing. Also I can watch a big screen like a tv. It really bothers me. But, I have watched a few documentaries on my ipad or phone. Both of those devices r easier for me.

Some things are much easier to do on my iPhone rather than my ipad.

I just started experimenting with games on the App Store. I have rejected doing any because it's so visual. This past week I looked for things that weren't busy or timed with simple movements. I'm open to it as long as it doesn't put my brain down.

I tried audio books but it bothers me. Maybe I haven't found the right voice. I like Peter Thomas‘ voice, but he only does crime shows. I could listen to him for a long time I think. It's the right tone I guess and no whistling or lisp.

Good luck...hunt around and try new things. Keep us posted. I'm always looking for something else to do.

Peace and wellness,

Jace

I decided to rest as much as possible over the long weekend.

I had 4 days off and found that TV after a while will provoke symptoms.

I also tried playing cards and it brought on some head pressure, however, my wife was watching TV in the same room so that could have been the issue.

We turned the TV off and played UNO together and that seemed to help.

I was also able to cut the grass and do some light weeding and it actually decreased my symptoms a bit. It took me two hours (usually only takes 1) so I think pacing myself helped a lot.

It was also a nice sunny day out so that likely helped lower the stress level a bit.

I played a very simple video game for about half an hour. Just reading and walking around, no twitch reactions required and it was for the old school Nintendo so no high def graphics or complex music. Symptoms flared up slightly as soon as I started but they did not get worse throughout the time I played and they resided as soon as I stopped.

Back to work today and I can already notice a difference, however, the fact that I rested for the better part of 4 days is noticeable.

I'm still going to try and get prescribed reduced work hours but it's nice to know that 4 days of being pretty bored have paid off.