Being injured or having surgery done are two different situations that have one thing in common: you need to take some time to recover afterwards. You can’t go straight back to work or skip straight into your usual lifetime responsibilities! You need to take some time to rest up, stretch it out, and look after your body as it heals. 

However, even when you make a conscious effort to recover well, certain things can ruin your recovery path. Here are four common reasons a person’s recovery might take longer than usual. 

Skipping Out on Plenty of Rest

You’ve just been through something rather traumatic for your body – you need to rest! You need to hit the mattress and spend some time healing up, with not much else going on. And yes, it can be boring, but it’s also pretty good for you!

Of course, you don’t want to spend your entire recovery period in bed, but at least a third of your time off work should be spent resting in such a manner. Giving both your mind and body a comfortably safe place to recover will always be good for you. 

Eating Too Much OR Too Little

Yes, both can be harmful right now, depending on what injury you’ve sustained or what surgery procedure you’ve been through. For example, having some internal work done on your stomach, gut, or bowel can make it hard to eat. 

If you try to resume your regular appetite, you could be doing yourself more damage. But if you only eat one or two small portions per day, you won’t be giving yourself enough energy to make use of. You need to try and strike a balance. 

Feeling That Something Went Wrong

Recovery is just as much mental as it is physical. If you can’t stop worrying about something that’s going on while you’re recovering, it’s going to take much longer to feel right again. Don’t let this happen to you.

When you feel like something is wrong, speak up. Voice your fears, speak to your doctor, and even talk to a medical malpractice lawyer if you don’t get answers anywhere else. Bottling things up right now could translate into further physical issues, so don’t let your pain or irritation go ignored! 

Ignoring Exercises Issued By a Doctor

Bed rest is good for you, but you need to keep moving during a recovery period too. Your doctor should be able to issue some stretches or exercises to do a couple times a day to help out. 

But if you don’t keep up with the regime, it could take you much longer to get back on your feet. Keeping your muscles flexible, strong, and supple takes a lot more effort right now, but it’ll be worth it for your future health. 

Recovering tends to look the same no matter what you’ve been through. Take it easy, take your time, focus on your diet, and proudly advocate for yourself when you need to.