After reading things like Dr. Taylor's, My Stroke of Insight and Dr. Doidge's, The Brain That Changes Itself I have discovered a number of suggestions to aid recovery. Some of them I am still investigating, others I confirm help and many I realize the importance of consistency with incorporating things, this would be easier with a daily therapist or trainer but still possible on our own.
Naps are something Dr. Taylor consistently taps on. Naps are as important to recovery as doing mental and physical exercises. With Dr. Taylor's knowledge of the brain scholastically and as a stroke survivor she seems to be very accurate with this. It is noted that the benefit of mental and physical exercises are reinforced with the addition of sleep. I have had rhythms of incorporating daily naps and then my personality of being busy has over ruled the necessity for sleep. I can attest that the quality of my life and abilities seem to be higher when I intertwine sleep with exercise.
Learning something new
Increased heart rate with exercise
Use it or lose it (as I learn reuse it to regain it)
Apparently embracing a new passionate love (I currently wouldn't know about this aspect)
Positive thinking - I firmly believe this one to be a main ingredient in the recipe of successful recovery
Imagination - Imagination, dreams and thinking of processes help keep the brain circuits alive for when we are physically capable of doing things again
Learning languages supporting the idea of learning new things keeping the brain firing
Learning musical instruments again supporting the idea of learning new things keeping the brain firing and although I haven't incorporated these last two things in my life I believe they have merit
Meditation - I did this everyday for six months and need to incorporate it into my life again...thinking of not thinking for two fifteen minute sessions a day...it did help.
Martial Arts, Tai Chi, Yoga - again supporting the idea of learning new things together with physical activity I believe in these suggestions but haven't been able to incorporate them into my life with regularity...trainers, therapists would be helpful for this and many other aspects mentioned
Constraint induced therapy I have tried this with my eye (blocking good eye for a couple of hours per day) forcing bad eye to work...I think benefits can happen when we use things to their fullest and then challenge them a little more.
