How to Feel Better After Recovering from Illness

When you're sick, it can feel like you're a completely different person. You may feel down and weak, and sometimes, even after most symptoms have subsided, you might still feel unwell. Getting out of bed and becoming active again can be challenging, and household chores might seem overwhelming. To help yourself move past the discomfort of being ill, it's crucial to take care of both yourself and your home after recovery. This will help you continue to feel better and prevent falling ill again.

Take it slow. One of the quickest ways to end up back in bed is by pushing yourself to be active too soon. Of course, there might be a lot on your plate, and you may have missed school or work, but allowing yourself time to recover fully is essential. Avoid overexerting yourself until all symptoms have completely disappeared. Relaxation and adequate sleep should be your top priority until you feel 100% healthy.

Stay hydrated. Illness can deplete your body of essential fluids, leaving you physically and mentally drained. To aid recovery, ensure you drink plenty of water. Aim for around 200 ml every few hours during the day to replenish lost fluids. Additionally, incorporate nutrient-rich drinks like orange juice or broth into your daily routine, even after you start feeling better.

Eat a balanced diet. Returning to your regular diet after being sick might not seem appealing, but it’s crucial to nourish your body with vitamins and nutrients to regain strength. If you’ve been relying on crackers, toast, or soup for days or weeks, gradually reintroduce wholesome, nutrient-dense foods into your meals. Consider these tips: Avoid high-calorie and fatty foods, eat smaller, frequent meals throughout the day, incorporate a daily fruit smoothie for essential nutrients, and include soups like chicken, tom yum, pho, or miso to add protein and vegetables to your diet.

Relieve muscle soreness. Part of recovering from illness involves addressing related symptoms like muscle aches. Even if your cough has subsided, your body might still feel sore. To ease discomfort as you regain strength, try heat therapy. For example, soak in a warm bath with Epsom salts or relaxing essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, or lavender. Use a heating pad for localized pain, or apply pain-relief ointments like Tiger Balm to specific areas. Remember to wash your hands after use, as these ointments can cause a warming sensation on the skin.

Engage in moderate exercise. Getting up and moving after illness can improve circulation and help flush out toxins. However, wait until you’ve fully recovered before resuming exercise, and avoid high-intensity workouts for at least 2–3 weeks post-recovery. Ease back into physical activity by starting with light exercises like walking or short jogs. Hot yoga can also help clear lingering congestion, but remember to stay hydrated.

Moisturize your skin. Illness can take a toll on your appearance. Sneezing, coughing, and blowing your nose can leave your skin dry and irritated. Once you’ve started caring for your body internally, focus on your skin. Use a moisturizer containing lanolin to soothe damaged areas like your nose. Consider lip balms with coconut or argan oil to heal dry, chapped lips effectively.

Change the bed sheets. When you're sick, you spend a lot of time in bed, so it's essential to prioritize changing the bed sheets first. You sweat more when you're ill, and your bedding can harbor germs, making it crucial to eliminate them. Replace all bedding, including pillowcases, and wash them in warm water with color-safe bleach. Treat any stains with bleach before washing. Allow your mattress to air out for a few hours before putting on fresh sheets.

Clean the bathroom. Regardless of your illness, you've likely spent considerable time in the bathroom dealing with flu symptoms. Whether you just popped in for tissues or camped out there during nights of nausea, cleaning the bathroom is another top priority after recovering. Some tips for disinfecting the bathroom include:

• Wash all towels you used, including face towels, bath mats, bathrobes, or any other fabrics, in warm water with color-safe bleach.
• Disinfect all surfaces, focusing on countertops and the toilet. You can use store-bought cleaners or make a homemade solution with one part water and one part rubbing alcohol or pure vinegar.
• Empty the trash and disinfect the trash can.
• Replace your toothbrush or soak the bristles in hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes to kill bacteria.
• If you used a sponge for cleaning, discard it after use. If you used a cloth, wash it with your other towels when done.

Disinfect the kitchen. You might not use the kitchen much when sick, but even making tea can leave germs behind, potentially spreading illness. Disinfect the kitchen using antibacterial wipes, cleaning products, or a homemade solution of one part water and one part rubbing alcohol or vinegar. Key areas to focus on include:

• Countertops
• Refrigerator handles
• Faucet handles
• Cabinets, drawers, and their handles
• Any dishes or utensils you used

Disinfect other high-touch areas. It's hard to remember every item you touched while sick, but disinfecting anything you might have contacted is crucial for maintaining health and minimizing the risk of spreading illness. Use disinfectants safe for various surfaces, including electronics. Beyond the areas already cleaned, other common high-touch spots in the home include:

• Thermometers
• Bathroom cabinets and drawer handles
• Doorknobs
• Light switches, including their faces
• Electronics like laptops, mobile phones, landline phones, TVs, remotes, keyboards, and computer mice.

Wash all types of clothing you used while sick. Now that your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and any other contact points have been cleaned, you need to eliminate the last hiding spot for germs: the clothes you wore. Wash all your sleepwear, sweaters, and comfortable outfits you’ve worn over the past days or weeks with warm water and a color-safe detergent. This ensures that all bacteria are eradicated, maintaining cleanliness and promoting your health.

Let fresh air into your home. After being sick and confined indoors with windows and curtains closed, bringing in fresh air is an excellent idea. Open your windows wide and allow gentle breezes to fill your home with clean air for a few minutes. Replacing stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air helps remove any lingering pathogens and leaves you feeling refreshed and energized. If it’s cold outside, just open the windows for 1–2 minutes; otherwise, you can leave them open as long as you like!