Self-care

If you had COVID-19, you may have trouble getting out of bed, feel tired, and not have the same energy you did before. It’s important to pace yourself as you recover. Read more about how you can get back into a routine as you recover from COVID-19.​

Self-care: Getting back into a routine

After COVID-19, you may not have the same energy you did before. Everything you do takes energy, and everyday tasks can take more effort than before.

​

When you’re ready, try getting​ out of bed, getting dressed, a​nd getting back into a basic routine. This will help you recover. It will also stop deconditioning. Deconditioning is a term for when you lose strength and fitness after not moving for a while, like when you’re sick in bed. It is important to try to start doing things as soon as it is safe; the longer you are in bed for all or most of the day, the more strength and fitness you lose, and the longer it will take to get it back.

​

Basic routines include:

• washing your face

• brushing your teeth

• getting dressed

• going to the kitchen for meals

• putting on pajamas at bedtime

​Doing these everyday tasks is good for your muscles, energy, heart, lungs, and mood. Go at your own pace. It’s OK if getting out of bed and getting dressed is all you have energy to do that day.​​

​

Self-care: Managing your energy

​

Managing, saving, or conserving your energy all mean finding ways of doing daily tasks with as little effort as possible. This is important as you recover, because you may feel more tired than usual. Planning your activities, pacing yourself, and dec​iding what’s important to you are all ways to help manage your energy.​

ways to manage my energy

The following links give ideas for being careful with your energy as you recover from COVID-19.

• Conserving energy when you have COPD or other chronic conditions (including COVID-19)

• Pacing and energy conservation (Note that this information can apply to your COVID-19 recovery, not just to concussions.)

Tools can help me manage my energy

There are many pieces of equipment or tools (called assistive devices or adaptive equipment) that can help you manage your energy. These include:

• tools for grooming and dressing

• tools for daily chores

• tools for getting around

• adaptive equipment like a 4-wheeled walker, bath seat, or raised toilet seat with arms

Learn more about assistive devices that may help you save your energy during recovery.

Many communities have programs that let you borrow equipment for a short time. Ask your healthcare provider about how to borrow equipment short term, if you think you need it. You can call the AHS Rehabilitation Advice Line if you need help with finding or borrowing equipment. See the resources section for more.​​​​​​​

​

Self-care: Eating well

​

Food gives your body energy. It’s important to keep eating and drinking when you’re sick and as you recover from COVID-19.

What nutrition do I need to recover?

To get the nutrition you need, eat a variety of foods each day, such as:

• protein foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, and lentils) to help maintain and rebuild muscles

• fruits, vegetables, and whole grains for vitamins, minerals, and fiber to help your body recover from illness

• healthy fats (nuts and seeds, olive oil, fatty fish like salmon, and avocado) to help give you the energy and nutrition your body needs to recover

• fluids (water, coffee or tea, milk or plant-based beverages, sports drinks, and nutrition supplement drinks), which are especially important if you’ve been sick with a fever, throwing up, or had diarrhea

How can I eat and drink when my energy is low?

Here are some tips to help you eat and drink when you’re tired or have low energy:

• Take small bites so it's easier to breathe while you eat.

• Eat slowly, and stop for a few moments between bites to catch your breath.

• Eat 5 to 6 small meals throughout the day instead of 3 larger meals.

• If you are too tired to regularly finish your meals or snacks, have food and drinks that are higher in energy (calories) and protein. Examples include adding Greek or Icelandic yogurt to smoothies, putting avocado on a sandwich, or adding grated cheese or nut butter to foods.

• Drink fluids after meals so you don’t get full too quickly.

• Sip small amounts of fluids if you need to drink while you eat.

• Snack every 2 to 3 hours, even if you don't feel hungry.

• Add nutrition supplement drinks, bars, or puddings to meals or snacks to get extra energy and protein.

Where can I learn more and find resources to help me eat well?

As you recover, see the following links to learn more about eating well, nutrition, and planning and shopping for healthy meals.

• COVID-19: Nutrition for recovery — Alberta Health Services Nutrition Services

• Choose and prepare healthy food — Alberta Health Services Nutrition Services

• Nutrition and physical activity

• Meal planning (menu planner and grocery list)

• Healthy grocery list example

If COVID-19 has made it harder for you to get food (for example, you can’t leave your home or you’ve lost income), go to the resources section for places to get help.​​​​

​

Self-care: Sleeping well

​

Different people need different amounts of sleep. When you’re recovering from an illness, it’s normal to need more sleep. You might need to take rests or a nap during the day—that’s OK. Your body is working hard to recover.

The number of hours you sleep isn’t as important as how you feel when you wake up. If you don’t feel refreshed, you probably need more sleep.

The following links give you information about sleep problems you may have and advice to help you sleep well:

• Sleep and your health

• Insomnia: Improving your sleep

• Sleep problems, age 12 and older

• Sleep journal (activity)

• 30 days to a well-rested you (activity)

If you still have trouble with sleep, talk to your healthcare provider, pharmacist, or call Health Link at 811.​

• The Working Mind COVID-19 Self-care & Resilience Guide

• ​This blog has been created in part as a response to these difficult times connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to remind us all that we do have tools to cope.

• The spread of COVID-19 has caused many Canadians to change their everyday lives to help “flatten the curve” to avoid a spike in cases that would overwhelm our health services.

• For some of you, that will mean that you have to self-isolate for two weeks, for others, it will mean that you are now working from home for the foreseeable future. Still others continue to have to go to your workplaces because of the essential nature of your work. Still others may face the prospect of job loss.

• These are all difficult situations and everyone has their own response to stress. This is a good time to remember, however, that you have resiliency skills and you can cope.

• The working mind is providing you with a document that you can download and follow along.

• twm_self-care-resilience-guide.pdf (theworkingmind.ca)