People are frequently surprised by how tired they become during a COVID infection.
Fatigue is more than just feeling tired or sleepy. It is a state of extreme tiredness that persists despite rest or adequate sleep. It is most likely due to our body’s strong immune response to the virus.
However, for some people, the fatigue persists even after the infection has cleared. This can be exhausting and debilitating. Simply resting more does not make a difference.
Here’s what we know about post-COVID fatigue and what you can do to help.
Is it fatigue or tiredness? What’s the distinction?
To different people, the term “fatigue” can mean a variety of things. Some people are referring to the fact that their muscles are easily weakened. They feel as if they have run a marathon just to get to the mailbox. Others describe a generalised exhaustion, regardless of whether or not they are moving. People can become exhausted due to physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion, or any combination of these.
The distinction between tiredness and fatigue is that tiredness can improve with adequate rest, whereas fatigue persists even when a person is sleeping and resting more than ever.
How serious is this?
Because there is no agreed-upon definition of post-COVID fatigue, it is impossible to estimate how many people experience it.
Estimates vary greatly across the globe. According to a review of 21 studies, 13–33 percent of people were fatigued 16–20 weeks after their symptoms began. This is an alarmingly common issue.
When should I schedule an appointment with my primary care physician?
Fatigue can be caused by a number of different factors. Even prior to the pandemic, one of the most common reasons for seeing a doctor was fatigue.
When your doctor asks about your symptoms and examines you, he or she can rule out most serious causes. Your doctor may conduct additional research, such as ordering blood tests, on occasion.
Fever, unexplained weight loss, unusual bleeding or bruising, pain (anywhere) that wakes you up, or drenching night sweats are all symptoms to be concerned about.
If your fatigue worsens rather than improves, or if you are unable to properly care for yourself, you should seek medical attention.
Is it similar to long COVID?
We discovered early in the pandemic that some patients had a cluster of debilitating symptoms that lasted for months, which we now refer to as long COVID.
One of the most common long-COVID symptoms is fatigue, which affects 85 percent of long-COVID patients.
People with long COVID, on the other hand, experience a variety of other symptoms, including “brain fog,” headaches, and muscle aches. Patients with long COVID experience more than fatigue, and in some cases, no fatigue at all.
Is this similar to chronic fatigue syndrome?
We were aware of chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, long before COVID.
This is frequently the result of a viral infection (for instance, after infection with the Epstein-Barr virus). As a result, there has been understandable concern about the coronavirus potentially causing chronic fatigue syndrome.
There are striking parallels between chronic fatigue syndrome and long-term COVID. Both involve incapacitating fatigue, brain fog, and/or muscle aches.
However, researchers are still trying to figure out whether there is a link between post-COVID fatigue, long-term COVID, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
For the time being, we know that many people will experience post-COVID fatigue but will not develop long-term COVID or chronic fatigue syndrome.
What helps me deal with my fatigue?
Expect you or a loved one to experience post-COVID fatigue, regardless of how ill you or they were during the infection.
Vaccines help reduce the risk of post-COVID fatigue by lowering the likelihood of contracting COVID in the first place. Vaccinated people who contract COVID are less likely to report fatigue and are less likely to develop long-term COVID.
Vaccination, however, is not 100 percent effective, and many fully vaccinated people experience long-term fatigue.
The research into what helps you recover from post-COVID fatigue is in its early stages. However, there are a few things that can help:
- Pace yourself; match your return to normal activities to your energy level. Determine your priorities and concentrate on what you can do rather than what you can’t.
- Gradual return to exercise: A gradual return to exercise may aid in your recovery, but you may require some guidance on how to manage or avoid fatigue afterwards. Some therapists, such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and exercise physiologists, are experts in this field. So, seek advice from your primary care physician.
- Prioritize sleep: rather than feeling guilty about sleeping so much, remind yourself that sleeping allows your body to conserve energy and heal.Sleep disturbances are an unfortunate COVID symptom. It’s critical to stick to a strict bedtime routine while also resting when you’re tired during the day.
- Eat a variety of nutritious foods. COVID’s loss of smell, taste, and appetite can make this difficult. Try to think of food as a way to provide your body with both energy and the micronutrients it requires to heal. Be wary of spending a fortune on unproven “remedies” that often appear promising in small studies but fail to make a difference in larger studies.
- Maintain a diary to track your fatigue and look for signs of improvement over time.You will have good and bad days, but overall, you should be on a slow path to recovery. If you are going backwards, seek advice from a health professional, such as your primary care physician.
