TIPS FOR POST-COVID BRAIN HEALTH

What you can do to counter the long-term effects of the coronavirus on your brain

➘ DIAGNOSIS: The root cause of your symptoms should be ascertained. Blood tests—CRP, IL-6, CBC and D-dimer— are a first step towards finding out if there is a need for brain imaging or a cerebrospinal fluid test

➘ REST: Research shows 8-10 hours of sleep in the night is crucial for the brain to heal. Doctors recommend a winddown routine—eating 3 hours before bed, turning off screens an hour before sleep and meditation or writing down worries

➘ DIET: Nutrition helps the brain recuperate—foods rich in vitamin B12, vitamin E and antioxidants are recommended. Nuts, dairy, fish and seeds are rich in serotonin that can help improve mood and reduce stress

➘ GRADED EXERCISE: Slowly return to heavy physical exercise—with no more than five minutes of cardio per day in the first two or three weeks, depending on how severe your illness was. Movement is important for healing but it should be eased into

➘ SOCIALISING: Talking to friends and family is important not just to reduce emotional stress but also to gain perspective on the next steps to take. Often, people don’t realise they are experiencing brain fog until someone informs them