One of the hardest things about having surgery is the time that it can take to recover, especially if you’re used to be someone who can get up and go all of the time. Whilst you may be thankful of the bed rest at first, staying indoors each and every day can do some serious harm to your mental health and is definitely something you should be aware of before you undergo surgery of any kind. On a similar note, heading back into your normal day-to-day life can also have an effect on your health, especially if you’re feeling pressured to be your normal self. With that in mind, here are 7 ways to look after your mental health post surgery:
- Take As Much Time Off As You Need
One of the most important things you can do is ensure you are taking as much time off as you need when it comes to recovery. Whether it’s one or two weeks or a couple of months, throwing yourself back into your day-to-day life can not only affect you mentally but physically too. Whether you have had surgery to help with your health or you have had breast lifts or a reduction, your doctor will be able to advise you on the amount of recovery time you need. With regular check-ups, they will be able to let you know when you’re okay to start getting back to normality.
For more information about lifts, you can watch breast lift videos here.
- Try To Relax As Much As Possible
Although it may be tempting to get up and do things whilst you’re in recovery, you need to ensure you are getting as much rest as you possibly can. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be in bed 24/7, but it does mean that you have to know what your limits are. For tips and tricks when it comes to recovery after surgery, you can visit this site here.
- Surround Yourself With Good People
If you know you’re going to be in recovery for a long period of time, you need to surround yourself with good people. Chances are you’re not going to be able to go into work for a number of weeks or months, so having people come and visit you on a regular basis will help ensure you’re still keeping up to date with your social life. Try to see your friends and family as often as you can, even if it’s just for coffee and cake in your living room. For inspiration of things to do whilst you’re recovering from surgery, you can visit this site here.
- Speak To A Professional
It’s normal for your mental health to take a dip when you’re recovering from something so if you’re worried about your health, you may want to speak to a psychiatrist. They will be able to talk to you about how your surgery has made you feel, reassuring you that things will be back to normal before you know it. If you’re struggling to make it to therapy, you may be able to find someone that does home visits.
- Go For Regular Check-Ups
You’re most likely going to need regular check-ups with your doctor during your recovery time, but it is important you are taking the time to go to these. Not only will they be able to see how well you’re progressing, but they will also be able to advise you on some tips and tricks to help your recovery progress faster.
- Make Sure You’re Eating And Drinking Well
Eating a balanced diet and drinking lots of water is key to a speedy recovery, so you need to ensure you’re doing this each and every day. Whilst it may be tempting when you’re unable to cook as much as you may have been able to before, you can’t order take-out each and every day. A treat is okay every now and again, but a healthy balanced diet should be one of your first priorities when you’re in recovery.
- Give Yourself Something To Look Forward To
Finally, you may want to consider giving yourself something to look forward to. Whether it’s booking an exciting holiday or arranging a day out with your family and friends, having some dates set in your diary will hopefully make the whole process go that little bit faster.
Have you had surgery lately? What can you do to ensure you’re looking after your health during recovery? Let me know in the comments section below.
(Image by: Photo by Timothy L Brock on Unsplash)