Two Brain Hacks To Help You Mentally Recover From Your Surgery And Get Back To Your Old Self

It's not uncommon for patients to feel depleted for extended periods of time after undergoing a surgical operation. Depending on the type of surgery you had, a large part of that feeling may be physical in nature. However, an equally large part can be mental — many surgical patients feel like their bodies are letting them down, which can be a hard state of mind to cope with.

Recovering from a surgical procedure can be extremely difficult and shouldn't be taken lightly. You should always consult your doctor and undergo any rehabilitation programs that they suggest to aid in your recovery. However, there are also a couple of effective at-home methods you can do on your own to overcome your state of mind and further help your recovery, both physically and mentally.

Meditation for the Mind

Meditation isn't merely a religious practice reserved for monks. There's a growing body of scientific evidence proving that regularly meditating physically affects your brain, particularly in the areas responsible for regulating emotion, anxiety, and stress.

Simply spend 15 minutes a day sitting in silence while observing your thoughts. If you're brand new to the practice, you may also want to use a guided meditation audio tutorial at first to help cultivate the habit. If you're like most daily practitioners, you'll find that the levels of stress and anxiety you feel about your health are significantly reduced over time. 

Meditation is by no means a magic bullet that will eliminate all of the anxiety you feel resulting from your surgery. However, it can definitely help you keep your anxiety in perspective, stay positive, and focus on your future recovery rather than ruminating on your health concerns. Not only will you feel better — you'll also reduce your levels of stress, and reduced stress can help lessen your risk of a number of future health problems.

Nature for the Soul

Immersing yourself in nature can also do wonders for your mental health and, by extension, your physical health. A growing body of research suggests that people who spend a significant amount of their time in natural settings such as forests and beaches experience an overall improvement in their mental health.

In addition to the mental health benefits, regularly taking walks through nature is a great way to get in a bit of exercise, which will further help your body recover from your surgery and the resulting physical ailments. Like meditation, immersing yourself in nature will help keep your anxiety at bay, pulling your mind out of rumination and focusing it on the bigger picture of your future recovery.

Contact a short term rehab facility if you need more help.