Self-Care While Living with Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS)

As February is the month of love, I’d love to share some self-care strategies I found to help me, while dealing with health. Post-concussion syndrome doesn’t look the way people expect it to. It’s not just headaches that fade with time. For many of us, it’s daily migraines, nausea, light sensitivity, sleep disruption, and a nervous system that feels permanently “on edge.” Healing isn’t linear, and it definitely isn’t fast. Over time, I’ve learned that self-care with PCS isn’t about bubble baths or productivity hacks. It’s about learning how to live inside limits without constantly fighting them. Here are the strategies that have genuinely helped me — grounded in both research and lived experience.

1. Protect Sleep Like It’s Treatment (Because It Is) Sleep disruption has been one of the biggest drivers of my symptoms. Poor sleep almost guarantees a rough morning, while even slightly better sleep can change the whole day. What’s helped:

• Keeping a consistent wake-up time, even after bad nights

• Avoiding long or late naps

• Creating a low-stimulation wind-down routine (dim lights, calm audio, no problem solving) Sleep doesn’t always come easily with PCS, but rest still counts, even when I’m not fully asleep. Removing pressure around sleep has paradoxically helped me sleep better.

2. Pace First, Then Do — Not the Other Way Around One of the hardest lessons has been learning that pushing through symptoms doesn’t build resilience — it builds setbacks. Now, I plan my days around:

• Energy windows, not clock time

• Short blocks of activity followed by rest

• Stopping before symptoms spike, not after This kind of pacing felt restrictive at first, but it’s actually what’s allowed me to stay in school at all. Self-care with PCS is often about preventing symptom escalation, not chasing productivity.

3. Gentle Movement Is Helpful — When It’s Truly Gentle Movement has helped me, but only when it’s carefully timed and low intensity. What works for me:

• Short, slow walks only when nausea is mild

• Stationary biking instead of jogging

• Stopping immediately if symptoms rise

What doesn’t:

• “Pushing through”

• Exercising to fix sleep

• Treating movement like training With PCS, movement should support regulation, not stress the system.

4. Eat to Stabilize, Not to Be Perfect Nausea has been one of my most persistent symptoms, and skipping meals almost always makes headaches worse. Helpful strategies:

• Small, bland meals (toast, rice, soup, yogurt)

• Eating regularly, even when appetite is low

• Avoiding heavy or spicy foods on high-symptom days Food is part of symptom management — not something to optimize or restrict.

5. Reduce Sensory Load Without Isolating Yourself Light, noise, and visual input can be overwhelming with PCS. Learning how to reduce sensory load without withdrawing completely has been key. Examples:

• Sunglasses and hats instead of avoiding daylight altogether

• Audio instead of visual reading

• Short, low-key social time instead of long outings Self-care isn’t avoiding life — it’s modifying how you participate.

6. Use Medical Support Without Guilt PCS often requires ongoing medical management. For me, this has included migraine treatments, vestibular physiotherapy, and medication. A big shift was realizing:

• Needing treatment doesn’t mean I’m “not healing”

• Medications aren’t failure — they’re tools

• Preventive care matters just as much as rescue care If symptoms are persistent, that’s not a willpower issue — it’s a medical one.

7. Redefine Success This has been the hardest part. Success with PCS might look like:

• Leaving class early

• Canceling plans

• Resting instead of pushing

• Staying enrolled rather than excelling Healing has forced me to let go of who I was before and learn how to care for who I am now. That process is uncomfortable, emotional, and ongoing — but it’s also taught me a level of self-trust I didn’t have before.

Final Thoughts Living with post-concussion syndrome is exhausting, invisible, and often misunderstood. Selfcare isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what allows you to keep going without harming yourself in the process. If you’re dealing with PCS: you’re not weak, you’re not lazy, and you’re not failing. You’re adapting to a nervous system that needs patience, structure, and compassion. That counts.

-Chloe Kim

Founder

Mind & Brain Student Network BC