Will anyone explain his/her use of rest when they crash?

To rinadbq —

Thank you for the detailed description of your comprehensive approach to Pacing! I’m comparing it to how I use my one-page-per-day log of Activity periods and Rest periods. I’m going to switch to using a large-dimension appointment book that shows one complete week at a time. Because, as you described, one must schedule Active Days and subsequent Rest Days in advance. I’ll also use a calendar showing a whole month at a time, and when making appointments, limit them to one a week, with days to rest after each one.

You’ve inspired me with your Pacing model !

— friedrich

Great for you!!!! You are on track 😉
When my Dr asks me 'have your symptoms improved?" my answer is no, but my management has. While profoundly different than running half marathons and working 12 hour shifts as an ER nurse in my before covid life, managing symptoms that persist after 4 years is the best I can do to have my best life moving forward. When I get depressed about this new life I remind myself that the world is full of people who live with dramatic health changes and I can too.
Thanks for your thoughts
Rina

Mayo Clinic teaches moderation which is going to be different for each of us. You need to find that 'line' to not step over from mental and/or physical exertion. I also have proven to myself over and over that a good nights rest as measured by Apple Watch is key. My Apple Watch tells me bad nights sleep, good nights sleep, great nights sleep, and more. I can attribute my sleep performance to behaviors of eating amount, eating timing, alcohol consumption, other suspicions and adjust accordingly. For a while I was paying attention to Apple Health features called "Active Energy" and "Physical Effort" as a means of finding my 'line'. One thing for sure is I know when I haven't behaved. I experience PEM and Brain Fog for several days until I recover. So my main countermeasures are knowing my 'line' and a daily power nap not to exceed 30 minutes. Apple Watch and Apple Health aren't the only game in town for technology that can help, it just happens to be what I use.

Wow! When I've blown a night's sleep, staying up late to write to meet a deadline, I've been able to press through it the following day, or at least get a good day until an afternoon lull and two more cups of coffee, if not the first day after a late-night writing blitz, certainly by the second day - or was.

Now, post-COVID, when I don't bounce back by day two, or certainly by day three, I have fears that I've lost it - permanently. And that's tough to take.

Then, out of nowhere, I have another good day - and ruin it by staying up later than I should to take advantage of it. Then a string of dysfunctional days follow.

Thanks for the new perspective! Now there's hope - I can keep getting to bed when I should, regardless what's left undone, let the tomorrows take care of themselves, and look forward to stringing those good days together.

But a good day, now, post-COVID, means a day that I can approach with less brain fog and some limited semblance of functionality - not what a good day was, pre-COVID.

The popular statement of resignation in today's world, it is what it is, doesn't help.

Comparing my situation to others might help at first (there are others who have it worse, others who are better off) and provides immediate perspective. But doesn't solve anything.

The inner task at hand is to be grateful for life as it was and how I lived it, not lament its passing but treasure those experiences, and to press on for whatever lies ahead. I am not done yet.

I have plenty left to give, plenty left to live for, plenty left to do - although the game is different, now, and the goals have to change.

It's like I'm saying: "OK God, what's next?" It's in your hands - and I know the plans You have for me are with a future and a hope.

To beachbum —

Thanks for your detailed description of the different sleep performance factors you monitor. And, how you use your Apple Watch to gauge your sleep quality and to measure your Active Energy and Physical Effort.

I do nap on most days, in response to actually feeling sleepy. However, I’ll try to include a nap every day, as a preventive measure.

— friedrich

@friedrich on the napping I would recommend you read a bit (Web MD, Mayo, Cleveland) of some of the many good articles on naps and sleep. I find that intentionally keeping it less than 30 minutes and not going into deep sleep (as measured by Apple Watch) is best for me. Beyond that I wake up with major groggy head that kind of wrecks it all.

Rina, I am a newbie to accepting the fact that I indeed have Long Covid. I am in the process of accepting my limitations for the last two years .(..because there is apparently nothing I can do about it). I do understand so many tragedies and illnesses change people's lives and with a good attitude and life management skills, life can still be abundant. But my question for you.....do you think we will ever get better? Will I ever go mountain climbing and snow skiing again. I am 54 years old and very into hiking, vacationing with grandchildren, etc. Are you encouraged at all that some people with long covid will improve. This is new to me and I am going to explore more doctors advice....search for anything that doctors approve or suggest. But am I just using my wasting my energy for now and need to "pace" myself. I am struggling with acceptance obviously. Thank you, Jen