10/18/2022

Why You Should Rest Substantially If You Have COVID-19

Rest can also be useful for managing its symptoms

Until recently, running was a major part of Emma Zimmerman’s life. The 26-year-old freelance journalist and graduate student was a competitive distance runner in college and, even after she graduated, logged about 50 miles per week. So, she tentatively tried to return to her running routine roughly a week after a probable case of COVID-19 in March, doing her best to overcome the malaise that followed her initial allergy-like symptoms. Each time, though, “I’d be stuck in bed for days with a severe level of crippling fatigue,” Zimmerman said.

Months later, Zimmerman still experiences health issues including exhaustion, migraines, brain fog, nausea, numbness, and sensitivity to screens—a constellation of symptoms that led doctors to diagnose her with Long COVID. Though she can’t know for sure, she fears those workouts early in her recovery process may have worsened her condition.

“I had no idea that I should try to rest as hard as I needed to rest,” she said.

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.