Stroke is a life-changing event. How long it takes you to recover depends on many factors, including the type of stroke you had, the area of your brain affected, and the amount of brain injury. The recovery process begins at the hospital as soon as you are medically stable. Often, this is within a day of having the stroke. Your doctor will talk to you about next steps. This will involve changes in your everyday habits, medicines, rehabilitation, or surgeries to lower the risk of another stroke.