How Ayurveda Helped Me Climb a Mountain After Concussion

Seven years ago, I could barely walk around the block. My brain felt foggy, my energy unpredictable, and my body didn’t seem to trust me anymore. Healing from a concussion is often like that—it’s messy, exhausting, and filled with setbacks. You do one thing that feels “normal” and then spend the next three days recovering.

If you’ve ever felt like that, I understand. And I want you to know that you’re not broken—you just need structure.

The Challenge of Concussion Recovery

When I was in the thick of recovery, my days felt scattered.

Some mornings I would push myself, only to crash by the afternoon. 

Other days, I would rest too much and feel restless, like I wasn’t moving forward. What I didn’t realize was that my brain wasn’t just injured—it was desperate for predictability.

Ayurveda and the Power of Routine (Dinacharya)

That’s where Ayurveda changed everything.

Ayurveda, the traditional healing system of India, emphasizes the power of Dinacharya—a daily routine aligned with natural rhythms. 

Instead of chasing motivation or willpower, Ayurveda says: do the same small things at the same times each day, and over time, your body and mind will return to balance.

It sounds simple, but for a brain in recovery, it’s powerful medicine. 

Structure became my anchor. 

Sleep and wake times. 

Eating meals at regular hours. 

Daily breathwork. 

Small, gentle movement. 

Built-in moments of rest.

This was no quick fix, but slowly, my nervous system began to trust me again.

Breath, Movement, and Stillness: My 3-Part Framework

In yoga therapy, I share this same principle with clients: healing doesn’t come from doing more; it comes from doing the right things consistently. 

Here’s the three-part structure I leaned on:

1. Breath – Pausing for simple breathing practices multiple times a day to calm my nervous system.
   

2. Movement – Gentle, structured sequences that built strength without overload.
   

3. Stillness – Rest woven intentionally into my schedule, not just when I crashed.

It wasn’t glamorous. 

It wasn’t complicated. 

But it worked.

From Bedridden to the Mountain Trail

Fast forward to this summer. For three days, I carried a full pack 5.7km into the mountains up a steep incline, camped for two nights, hiked with my husband and sons the second day up and down another steep incline to two alpine lakes, and trekked back out on the third.

If you’ve never struggled with a brain injury, this may sound ordinary. But if you’ve been where I was seven years ago, you know it’s extraordinary. 

Every step I took on that trail was built on years of small, structured steps in daily life.

Why Structure Works in Healing

Healing didn’t happen overnight. 

It didn’t happen because I “pushed through.” 

It happened because I gave my brain and body what they crave most: structure.

I could have stayed stuck. Many people do—cycling between overdoing it and crashing, wondering why healing never seems to come. 

Without structure, recovery feels like trying to build a house on shifting sand.

Ayurveda taught me that structure is the foundation. 

It’s not rigid—it’s supportive.

 It’s not about doing everything perfectly—it’s about doing the next small thing consistently.

When you don’t have that, the risk is burnout, frustration, and resignation. But with structure, the body has a chance to repair, integrate, and move forward.

Redefining Success After Concussion

For me, success wasn’t just standing on a mountain ridge (though that was pretty amazing). 

Success was the freedom to enjoy the trip without fear of crashing for weeks afterward. 

Success was carrying a full pack, sitting by the fire with my family, and waking up each morning knowing my body could handle what was ahead.

That’s the real gift of structure—it gives you your life back.

How You Can Begin

If you’re in the middle of concussion recovery, or if you’re dealing with chronic pain that feels unpredictable, know this: you don’t need harder workouts. 

You don’t need more willpower. 

You need a structure that supports your nervous system.

That’s exactly what I teach in my yoga therapy classes. 

Together, we use breath, movement, and stillness to create simple routines that help your brain heal and your body feel safe again.

Ready to start building your own structure for healing? Check out our website