Importance of Sleep and Rest in Pandemic

I test Positive with COVID 19 a few days back. Yes, I was COVID -19 Positive. It came as a shocker for me as I too was thinking it to be a normal viral fever due to season change. I had fever for 2 days and the temperature twice crossed the 102 mark on the fluke infrared digital thermometer that I kept handy all the time with me. There were no other external signs.

However, there was a strange sense of something wrong from inside, which I tried to negate considering it to be simply as anxiety or just COVID News and Media Stress. However, at this time the second wave of corona virus pandemic in India was just building up. We always had a strict protocol for anyone having fever or any illness after the first wave of coronavirus pandemic by self isolation measures for the ill.

Fearing for the wellbeing I went from Isolation to a Complete Home Quarantine as I received my Positive RTPCR Report. As it is very important to have a strict quarantine as we know that CoronaVirus infection is very contagious and spreads rapidly. I strongly recommend that you must adhere to strict quarantine for the sick one while being supportive and compassionate to not let the sick feel dejected.

So, what measures we took may have helped to contain the infection spreading to the whole family. By gods grace my whole family is safe from the infection till I write the post. The next step I took to save myself from unwanted disturbances was to uninstall Facebook and WhatsApp from my phone. Both these social networking apps according to me would have not helped by increased the anxiety and disturbance during the recovery phase. For me it was very important to take as much rest and sleep as I could.

While medications were started on time there was very proactive response from Lucknow Nagar Nigam with immediate home sanitization, fogging and provisioning of Medical Aid by Covid Command Center. The constant feedback calls from the Nagar Nigam, Covid Command Center and other medical support teams in Lucknow helped me motivated that the government machinery is working fine and I may not have to worry a lot about the Covid Infection.

Seeing everything sorted out and everyone safe at home, it was time to take care of myself. The first thing I did was to keep myself in good hygiene, take medication on time and keep gargling twice a day, as I had a very sore throat and took steam thrice a day along with drinking only warm water. Though it was hard in the beginning to eat anything, I lost all appetite. Slowly and gradually the throat cleared and I went to take only fruits and light meals. Its very important to stay away from heavy meals and spicy food. Your Diet is very important and If you are Non-Vegetarian Eat Boiled or Grilled Meat and Eggs in good quantity as your body needs a lot of Zinc and Protein along with Vitamin C supplements via fruits and medicines. Drinking a lot of water is most important as the body quickly looses hydration and hence drink plenty of water. It will keep your body hydrated and keeps clearing toxins.

As we all know CoronaVirus is a respiratory attacking Virus and the lungs are the most damaged part of the body in covid 19 infection. My only aim was to keep the infection away from lungs and not allow any congestion to develop. Steam inhalation and gargles were my only weapons. In covid the gestation period is two to three days and I kept a full record of my oxygen levels. Thanks to the Almighty that I was able to keep infection away from reaching my lungs and the oxygen levels were also maintained.

There was high fatigue levels and I had been sleeping for almost 14-16 hours each day, the headache was unbearable at time due to lack of nutrients and effect of the continuous high fever. It was more than important to be positive from mind and keep faith in yourself and the almighty that you will be fine. Positive frame of mind and rest was the most important factors as I kept all negative thought away and took as much rest as I can to let my body recover from the infection. Along the medication and care was the need to compassion, which was fulfilled by friends and family who were there supporting and talking to me on calls to keep me motivate.

I will suggest anyone who is infected that its only you who will fight the infection and no one else. You and your body are the only fighters, do not let any bad thought come and keep yourself positive. With these thoughts I got over with the Covid infection and kept myself in isolation for an extended week to make sure there is no virus or any other infection.

COVID according to my experience is nothing to be scared of. It is just another enemy and you need to fight the enemy with all your might. The challenge could only be achieved with determination. Nothing can kill you unless you mentally allow it to. So stay safe, stay positive and take all precautions with extra alertness.

You will Prevail !!!