Post-Covid fatigue is perhaps one of the worst souvenirs of battling the initial infection. Between leaving your brain sluggish to prompting you to take midday naps, the tiredness can leave you completely stripped of energy. Fortunately, there are six “key” practices that could effectively target the culprit.
Dr Lola Tillyaeva said: “When recovering from any illness, including COVID-19, you may experience fatigue.
“Fatigue is a normal part of the body’s response to fighting an illness, and it is likely to continue for some time after the infection has cleared.”
However, many patients often describe their fatigue as debilitating, leaving them with a cascade of other problems, ranging from brain fog to headaches.
Fortunately, the doctor shared that while “rest and nourishment” are key when managing post-Covid tiredness, there are also other lifestyle tweaks that could “boost your energy levels and restore your overall well-being”.
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Plant-based diet
While there is no “one-size-fits-all” meal plan that will work for everyone, there is “significant” evidence suggesting that a plant-based diet could help boost your energy levels.
Dr Tillyaeva said: “Low iron levels may be linked to fatigue, and when we get iron from plants (non-heme iron), our bodies are better able to regulate absorption – if our iron stores are low, we absorb more, and vice-versa.
“Iron is abundant in many plant foods, including lentils, soybeans, spinach, oatmeal, quinoa, and seeds.”
Take deep breaths
Although Western Medicine is only starting to uncover the potent effects of taking deep breaths, various breathing techniques have been around for centuries.
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“Researchers have found that a midday nap can improve our brain’s efficiency and help us sort through unconscious information we’ve taken in without necessarily realising it, in the same way that night-time sleeping does.”
Gentle Exercise
While you might cringe at the thought of hitting the gym straight after your Covid recovery, gentle exercise like yoga could help get your energy back.
Dr Tillyaeva said: “Yoga can help to boost your energy levels and connect the mind and body.
“Slower forms of yoga, like Yin Yoga offers deeper access to the body’s functioning which can be beneficial for fighting fatigue.”
Eat High-Frequency Foods
It won’t probably come as a surprise that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, also known as “high-frequency foods”, can make you feel energised while snacking on heavily processed foods can leave you in a need of a nap.
The doctor said: “There is a body of evidence that illustrates to maximise the nutritional value of our diets, it’s important that we choose foods that contain high-vibration energy to help us raise our own auric frequency and naturally enhance energy levels.”
Cut the Caffeine
Dr Tillyaeva added: “People mistakenly believe that coffee is what gives them the energy they need to make it through their day.
“The truth is [that] caffeine…forces our bodies to use their own surges of energy in a very short period of time; and in the wake of that surge, our mood, hyper-alertness, and energy collapse a couple of hours afterwards, commonly leading to headaches, indigestion, and lethargy.”
