Like any other injury, a brain injury can take time to heal.

If you sprain a wrist, it will heal faster if you give the joint adequate rest. The same is true with a head injury.

Studies of children and young adults who have suffered a head injury show that rest is associated with more rapid recovery.

When the brain is injured, proper rest involves cutting back on both physical and mental activity.

Research indicates that subjects who participate in the most cognitive activity following a head injury take the longest to recover.

That can be any mental pursuit that challenges the mind, from reading to watching television or even talking on the phone.

Consult with your doctor about which activities you need to restrict — whether recreational or work-related — and how long you need to hold off to heal your brain.