Exercise can harm Long COVID patients experiencing post-exertional malaise (PEM), contradicting standard advice to increase activity. Current research indicates that exercise exacerbates biological abnormalities in these patients, rather than improving their condition. Pacing, not exercise, is the recommended approach for managing PEM to avoid severe symptom flare-ups.
Tag: pacing
How to Stop Long Covid Getting Worse: Pacing, PEM, Reinfection and Recovery
Long COVID does not always worsen over time, but certain factors—including repeated post-exertional malaise (PEM), reinfection, pushing beyond your energy limits and returning to intense exercise too soon—may increase the risk of prolonged symptoms. While there is no guaranteed way to prevent worsening, research suggests that pacing, avoiding repeated crashes, reducing reinfection risk and managing … Continue reading How to Stop Long Covid Getting Worse: Pacing, PEM, Reinfection and Recovery
How to Survive a Heatwave with Long COVID: Practical Tips for POTS, Dysautonomia and Chronic Illness
New to this topic? This guide focuses on practical strategies to cope with hot weather. If you would like to understand why heat makes Long COVID symptoms worse, including the role of autonomic dysfunction, POTS, blood pooling and impaired thermoregulation, we recommend reading our companion article Why Heat Makes Long COVID So Much Worse: The Science Behind Heat Intolerance first. … Continue reading How to Survive a Heatwave with Long COVID: Practical Tips for POTS, Dysautonomia and Chronic Illness
Long COVID Pacing: How to Protect Your Energy & Avoid Crashes
Long COVID pacing is one of the most important self-management strategies for people living with Long COVID who experience post-exertional malaise (PEM). Learning how to pace effectively can help reduce crashes, protect your energy envelope and improve day-to-day quality of life. Living with Long Covid, ME CFS, or other chronic illnesses often feels like walking a … Continue reading Long COVID Pacing: How to Protect Your Energy & Avoid Crashes
Understanding Life with Long COVID
The narrator reflects on the challenges of living with Long COVID, detailing the emotional and physical toll it takes on daily life. They describe careful management of energy, the unpredictability of symptoms, and the persistent grief for their past self. Yet, amidst the struggle, they find moments of joy and resilience.
Navigating Long COVID: Lessons from Sea Turtles
Living with Long COVID parallels the life of a sea turtle, emphasizing endurance and adaptability. This journey involves embracing a slower pace, managing energy wisely, and learning to navigate life's currents with resilience. The struggle teaches the importance of self-care and finding beauty in the journey, valuing moments over speed.
Microclots and Exercise Intolerance in Long COVID: The Biology Behind Why Exercise Can Make Symptoms Worse
Long COVID affects many, with exercise intolerance being a significant symptom. A study identified that exercise can fragment harmful microclots, worsening inflammation and vascular injury. This underscores the need for personalized exercise plans for patients. Understanding microclots may lead to new treatment strategies, requiring further research for effective interventions.
Living With Post-Exertional Malaise: Practical Tips That Actually Help
PLiving with post-exertional malaise means learning how to protect limited energy before a crash begins. These practical strategies from people with Long COVID cover pacing, preventive rest, sensory overload, good-day crashes and everyday adaptations that can help make PEM more manageable
Post Exertional Malaise in Long COVID: What It Is, What It Feels Like and How to Actually Recognise It
Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is one of the defining symptoms of Long COVID. Learn what PEM is, why symptoms are delayed after physical, mental or emotional activity, how to recognise the signs, and why it differs from ordinary fatigue.
Parenting with Long COVID: How to Cope When Your Energy Is Limited
Living with Long COVID while raising children can feel overwhelming. Learn practical strategies to manage fatigue, pacing, brain fog and family life while protecting your health.
Long COVID Pacing and Fatigue: Lessons from a Cat on Rest and Recovery
Living with Long COVID often means learning to slow down. Discover five gentle lessons about pacing, rest, boundaries and finding joy in everyday life through the unexpected wisdom of a Siberian cat.
Should You Use a Wheelchair When Travelling with Long COVID?
Travelling with Long COVID often means balancing independence with energy conservation. Discover why using a wheelchair can be a pacing decision that helps reduce post-exertional malaise and preserves energy for the journey ahead
Winter Holidays Long Covid: 7 Tips to Avoid Crashes and Enjoy
The article provides strategies for managing long COVID symptoms during winter holidays. It emphasizes the importance of planning, pacing, and setting boundaries to balance festivities and health. Tips include dressing warmly, staying hydrated, monitoring food choices, using air purifiers, and scheduling recovery days to ensure enjoyable gatherings without overwhelming fatigue or discomfort.
Child Long Covid Christmas: How to Protect Joy Without Causing a Crash
Christmas can be overwhelming for children recovering from Long COVID, but thoughtful planning can help maintain joy during the season. Suggestions include slowing down activities, adapting traditions, communicating needs with family, focusing on small joys, and embracing meaningful moments. A manageable, love-filled holiday is possible through careful consideration.
Christmas with Long Covid: The Part Nobody Sees
Navigating Christmas with long COVID presents unique challenges, including fatigue and sensory overload. Balancing festive activities requires strategic planning, such as pacing tasks and prioritizing self-care. Embrace simplicity, establish boundaries, and cherish small joys while adapting holiday traditions to promote well-being. Ultimately, surviving the festive season becomes a significant personal achievement.
Long COVID GP Support Guide: Why Long COVID GP Appointments Can Feel So Difficult
Learn why Long COVID can be difficult to recognise in primary care, why normal tests do not rule it out, and how patients and GPs can work together more effectively.
Long COVID Daily Life: Living in a World That Moved On
Living with Long COVID means far more than managing symptoms. Daily life often revolves around pacing, unpredictable crashes, invisible challenges and constant energy management. This article explores what everyday life with Long COVID really feels like, why the world can seem to have moved on, and how small steps can still represent meaningful progress.
Living with POTS and Dysautonomia After Long Covid
Post-COVID dysautonomia, particularly POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), leads to symptoms like dizziness and fatigue when standing. It often results from COVID-related inflammation or nerve damage. Daily life includes struggles with heat, exercise, digestion, and brain fog, requiring humor and adjustments, such as increased salt intake and hydration.
Celebrating small victories: Living with Long COVID
The author reflects on the significance of small victories while living with long COVID, such as walking for a cappuccino. They highlight the emotional complexities tied to these moments, describing shifts in the perception of success and self-care. Celebrating minor achievements is emphasized as essential for resilience and finding joy amidst challenges.