Recovering after any period of illness can feel like a long journey. It’s inevitable that there will be days where you just don’t want to get out of bed. Fortunately, with patience and time, there are ways to build up your health and strength. This article will look at how to build up your health after feeling unwell.
Take Things Slowly
The road to recovery takes time. If you used to regularly exercise, it might feel frustrating to start with small steps. However, it’s essential to build up your energy gradually to avoid losing strength rather than increasing it. If you used to run each weekend, begin with a short walk. If you used to swim regularly, go down to the pool for 20 minutes and see how you feel after. Your health will improve, with time, but you need to be patient with yourself.
Don’t Neglect Your Doctor’s Appointments
Keep on top of your health by regularly attending your check ups. It might be going to your annual eye or hearing test, your therapist, or your gynecologist. The main thing is you take extra steps to manage your health going forward. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with a health condition, it’s more important than ever to attend every check up.
Don’t Worry About Emails Or Messages
When you’re ill, it’s inevitable that tasks like work emails or responding to friends will not always be possible. Try not to worry about these things if you can, and put your phone or laptop away from you when they’re not in use. When you do go back to work, make sure you pace yourself and remember to not overdo it. If you need to respond to texts from friends, just take your time and keep them brief.
Stretch Out
If you’ve spent even a brief amount of time lying on the sofa, you need to stretch out before you resume your normal activities. Suddenly running or even walking quickly after extended periods in bed can cause injuries. Carry out some gentle stretches or easy yoga to ensure that your muscles are ready to go. Consider some back stretches, neck rolls and gentle tasks to prepare yourself before more strenuous activities.
Eat Well And Stay Hydrated
The foods you eat and the water you drink will convert to the energy that will build up your health. Make sure you drink plenty of water, and eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Try to cut out alcohol as this can hold you back from a full recovery, and also consider cutting out certain irritants like caffeine or smoking.
Get Outside When You Can
If you can sit outside in nature, access to direct sunlight can help you on your journey to a full recovery. Spend a few minutes each day sitting in the local park or in your garden. Stock up on sunscreen to avoid getting burned. Sunlight is good for you because it helps to boost the serotonin levels in your body, which boosts mood. It also meant to be good for your eye and skin health.
Manage Your Expectations
Have you recently been diagnosed with a health condition? You might suddenly find yourself navigating unexpected lifestyle changes. Manage your expectations with your recovery. Some health conditions do mean that some days will be better than others, and it’s important to listen to your body and be realistic about what you can achieve on a particular day.
Be Kind To Yourself
We are our own worst enemies, particularly when we get frustrated. Please be kind to yourself, and remember that you have been unwell. Do things that you enjoy, whether that’s a quiet half hour reading a book, or watching your favorite movie. Self-care is a necessity when you’re recovering.
Recovery Is Not A Straight Upwards Line
Recovery is not a perfect journey. Some days will feel worse than others, and patience is essential in getting back to your full strength. Eat healthily, drink water, and take the time to get back into your usual routine. If you are managing a new health condition, it’s realistic to assume that your lifestyle may change. Consider cutting out alcohol, caffeine, or smoking, or at least cut back to avoid slowing down your recovery journey.
Most importantly, be kind to yourself. It’s easy to beat yourself up if you aren’t able to achieve the tasks or activities that you used to. But gently building up strength through gentle stretches, yoga, and walks will get you back to where you want to be.