We are not health professionals. The following tips are what Long Covid Advocacy Ireland members have found to be useful. Always check with your GP/consultant if you are concerned about your symptoms.

Address any Sleep issues as first priority

The vast majority of LC patients experience problems with their sleep. Getting to sleep, staying asleep and waking early can all be issues. Many experts recommend starting with addressing sleep difficulties. Almost all symptoms will likely be exacerbated by poor sleep, and an improvement will often be seen across symptoms where a patient manages to obtain good sleep consistently.

Sleep solutions may take the form of practical strategies, supplements and medications. The importance of good sleep to recovery/improved quality of life can not be overstated.

Fatigue

PACE not PUSH

Trying to push through Long Covid fatigue will not improve your symptoms and can in fact make them worse. Pace yourself and break down activities into smaller tasks, taking rest breaks throughout the day.

Plan and Prioritise

Plan your day and prioritise what needs to be done. Make a list of things you would like to do but be flexible. If a task is difficult, stop and take a rest break.

Modify your environment

Organise your home so that items you use a lot are close to you.
If you are preparing food, sit at the table rather than standing.
Slide items along the floor instead of lifting them.

Keep a diary and track your progress

Keeping a diary of your progress will help you to see how far you have come and note the successes you have achieved. This will help you to build on success. But it is also handy to note what didn’t work so you can learn from those experiences and reduce your activities if needs be.

Exercise IS NOT a treatment for Long Covid. For those experiencing post exertional malaise (PEM), exercise should be taken with extreme caution. Movement and light exercise which does not trigger PEM may be safe (for those with milder Long Covid symptoms). For more severely effected patients, even day to day movement around the house may trigger PEM. Try to establish your baseline energy but be aware that this may fluctuate week to week to some degree, for example if you are sleeping poorly/ stressed/ battling a cold etc.

Cognitive Dysfunction

Thinking takes energy, so fatigue will likely effect your ability to concentrate and absorb information. Cognitive tasks will use up your energy, be conscious of this when using computers, phone, reading etc.

Use checklists to help you stay on track

Make a shopping list.
Schedule your time using a diary, electronic/phone organiser.
Use alarms to prompt you to stay on task or take breaks.
Do one thing at a time to help your concentration.
For a difficult task, write down the steps and what you need to complete them.
Think about turning off the TV or Radio when you need to concentrate.

Fear, worry, stress and anxiety can all impact your cognitive ability

Be patient with yourself.
Learn to accept your current situation while trying to stay hopeful about the future.
Practise relaxation techniques.
Stick to a routine.
Eat healthy.
Get as much sleep as possible.
Ask for help.

Long Covid Advocacy Ireland members are working to update this page. Please check back later for further symptom management information.