“How Long, Mom?” — The Hardest Question After a Concussion

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My oldest son loves all sports — basketball, rugby, soccer, and hockey. He's been a mover since he could walk — fast, agile, competitive, and fearless.

Now that he’s 23, he’s playing in men’s leagues where the other athletes are not just skilled, but often 20 years older and many pounds heavier. Last weekend, he got tackled in a rugby game and was slammed to the ground.

At first, he tried to shake it off. But then came the memory loss.

The confusion.

The crushing headache.

The vomiting.

He suffered a concussion.

“How Long, Mom?”

My son also lives with ASD, and one of the ways his brain works is by seeking clear answers.

 He wants to know the plan, 

..the process, 

And most of all — the timeline.

So in the quiet aftermath of that intense weekend, he looked at me, eyes wide and scared, and asked what so many people ask after a head injury:

“How long until I’m better?”

“How long until I can go back to the gym?”

“How long until I feel normal again?”

“How long, Mom??!!?”

And the honest answer — the one no parent wants to give — is this: I don’t know.

When you’ve trained your whole life to bounce back fast — whether you’re an athlete, a busy professional, or someone just trying to keep life moving — being forced to slow down can feel like failure.

But concussions don’t follow a fixed timeline.

They heal differently in every person, every body, every brain.

And when you’re neurodivergent — like my son — or already living with sensory sensitivities or emotional regulation challenges, the experience can feel even more overwhelming.

This isn’t just a physical injury. It affects memory, sleep, mood, and the ability to feel safe in your own body.

When someone asks “how long,” what they’re asking is:

• Am I going to be okay?

• Will I get my life back?

• Is there something I can do to feel better, faster?

And that’s where we need a new approach — one that goes beyond waiting it out in a dark room.

As a yoga therapist and kinesiologist, I specialize in helping people recover from injury, chronic pain, and burnout using breath, micro-movement, and nervous system regulation.

This is not your typical stretch class or fitness plan. 

This is about teaching your body and brain how to feel safe again, at a pace that respects your healing.

After a concussion, the nervous system is often in a state of high alert. Even small noises or lights can feel like too much.

 That’s not weakness —

 That’s your brain protecting itself.

So instead of pushing through, we pause gently.

We move slowly and intentionally, in ways that support rewiring.

We use breath to calm the fight-or-flight response.

We create space for rest that restores.

In the early stages of concussion recovery,

Rest is crucial.

But after the acute phase, the path forward often includes:

1. Micro-movements to reintroduce safe motion

2. Breath practices to regulate the nervous system

3. Stillness and sensory calming to reduce overload

4. Gradual exposure to activity, with deep listening

This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing 

What’s right, 

At the right time, with support.

If you’re reading this and feeling frustrated or scared because your recovery isn’t following the timeline you expected, I want you to hear this clearly:

You’re not broken…

You’re healing.

Healing doesn’t mean doing everything you used to do right away. It means building a new foundation — one that’s more resilient, more attuned, and more sustainable.

And yes, you will return to the things you love — work, sports, movement, joy.

But it won’t be because you forced your way back.

It will be because you gave your brain what it needed.

If someone you love has suffered a concussion, you’ve probably asked:

“How long until I recognize them again?”

That question lives in the hearts of so many caregivers.

And while I can’t promise a timeline, I can offer a path forward.

Yoga therapy is gentle, science-informed, and deeply compassionate.

It helps rebuild from the inside, where true healing begins.

It’s not flashy. But it works.

To my son — and to anyone asking “how long?” — I say this:

You are healing. 

Even when it doesn’t feel like it.

You are not alone.

And there is more hope than you think.

If you’re ready for a supported path to recovery, I invite you to explore what yoga therapy can offer. 

It’s not a miracle. But it is a method — one that meets you exactly where you are.

Because sometimes, “how long?” isn’t the right question.

Sometimes the better one is: “What can help me heal today?”