Stressfuii office work does not work. Rake leaves shovel snow chop wood. Your body and mind will blow an alarm siren. Tell yourself to get lost. Do it anyway.

You will feel better in less than an hour. I am NOT the only one who tells this story.

@spittendrigh, like @klf58, I'm glad to read that physical activity really helps you. And in your case, mind over matter was a key ingredient to driving your path forward.

However, it's important to note, that people who are managing post-exertional malaise (PEM) can experience a worsening of symptoms or illness after physical or cognitive exertion. This includes activities that they were previously able to tolerate well before Long COVID.

As always, one size does not fit all. That's why we share our experiences with each other.

@mclelland1958, you may find these articles written by Mayo Clinic to be helpful:
- The Role of Nutrition and Supplements in Managing Chronic Fatigue Post-COVID https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/post-covid-recovery/newsfeed-post/the-role-of-nutrition-and-supplements-in-managing-chronic-fatigue-post-covid/
- Post-COVID Recovery and Self-Care https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/post-covid-recovery/tab/self-care/

Unfortunately this is an answer that is counter productive with healing for me and also creates me feeling bad about myself when it does the opposite. I think we need to be careful in saying things that might be harmful on this forum. When I do mind over matter, and push through things, my symptoms extremely worsen and it can last for weeks. I am a very dedicated exercise person who has a lot of motivation, but pushing through and mind over matter were devastating for me.