Being ill is absolutely no fun. However there’s nothing worse than recovering from sickness, only to find yourself still feeling drained and lethargic.
This is known as post-viral fatigue. After weeks of hard work combatting whatever illness has been hammering away at your immune system, it’s no surprise your body may continue to suffer.
Tiredness, difficulty concentrating, sore throat, headaches, muscle and joint pains – all common symptoms of post-viral fatigue.
Ailments of this nature are your body’s way of telling you to take action.
In this article, we’re going to share 5 quick tricks to help your immune system on the road to recovery.
1. Set a sleep routine
When recovering from post-viral fatigue, your body needs sleep more than ever! If you want to get back on track faster, you need to set out – and stick to – a sleep routine. That means setting a time each night that you’ll hit the hay.
Leave your phone in another room and avoid screen time up to an hour before bed. For the next 2 weeks including weekends, try going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, and try to get at least a solid 8 hours in too. Check back in with yourself and notice the difference.
2. Steer clear of alcohol and stay hydrated
Drinks with friends, especially when you’ve been ill and haven’t seen them in a while, are unsurprisingly tempting!
Sadly, alcohol and your immune system don’t see eye-to-eye. In fact, if you drink during post-viral fatigue, you’re not just delaying recovery – your symptoms may begin to present themselves again. On top of this, alcohol dehydrates the body, holding you back even further.
So, avoid alcohol, up your fluid intake, and your immune system will reward you with a speedier recovery.
3. Cut back on exercise
As a company dedicated to getting people moving more, this isn’t something we say very often! After all, regular exercise is one of the best preventative measures you can take to help shield your body against illness.
Sadly, that doesn’t hold as true when it comes to post-viral fatigue. Your body needs rest. Listen to it. Cut that daily jog or gym session out of your routine for 7-10 days to help you bounce back quicker.
4. Reduce stress with relaxation techniques
If you’re feeling down and taking time off from the gym, try picking up a new physical and mental wellness activity such as yoga or meditation. Taking the physical strain off your body will help you recover by removing some of the immediate external stresses and pressures it might be under.
From guided meditations to hot yoga, each of these mindful practices have their own proven benefits – you might just be surprised at the difference taking one of these up might make in just a few days.
5. Incorporate some turmeric into your diet
We would say that, wouldn’t we! But don’t take our word for it – the research is there to back it up. Consuming turmeric on a daily basis can do wonders to help your immune system get back up and running by increasing the immunomodulatory capacity of the human body. By adding even a small amount into your diet, you’ll help yourself get over that post-viral slump.
Looking for a convenient source of turmeric? We’ve got you covered. Each of our turmeric shots contain over 35g of cold-pressed organic turmeric, helping you to reduce inflammation and give your immune system the boost it needs. Visit the store to grab your pack now.
