Author:  Tanja Walser

Caring for someone with Long COVID can be an exhausting, all-consuming experience - physically, mentally, and emotionally. As symptoms linger for months or even years, the demands on carers continue. That’s why understanding how to protect your own health and maintain energy for Long COVID carers is crucial - not just for your loved one’s recovery, but for your own longevity and wellbeing too.

In this blog post, we’ll explore gentle, realistic strategies that support your energy, strengthen your resilience, and make this caregiving journey more sustainable.

Long COVID doesn’t follow a clear path. Symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, chest pain, and post-exertional malaise can ebb and flow, often without warning. This makes planning and pacing difficult not only for the person experiencing it, but also for you - the carer.

You might find yourself constantly adjusting routines, managing appointments, and navigating a sense of helplessness when traditional treatments don’t bring relief. Over time, this ongoing stress can lead to burnout, disrupted sleep, lowered immunity, and compassion fatigue.

But here’s the truth: you cannot pour from an empty cup. Your health and energy matter. In fact, they are vital for the role you’re in.

Just like your loved one is learning to pace themselves with Long COVID, so must you. One of the most important mindset shifts is to see your energy as limited but renewable.

Think of your energy like a bank account: every decision you make either deposits or withdraws from your reserves. Carers often fall into the habit of constant withdrawals - rushing meals, sacrificing sleep, skipping movement, and internalising guilt. But you are more effective when you consciously create small deposits throughout your day.

• Mini breaks: Even 5 minutes of stillness or fresh air can reset your nervous system.
• Micro self-care: Swap “I don’t have time” with “What’s the smallest act of care I can do today?”
• Morning anchoring: A consistent, simple morning routine (like stretching, herbal tea, or deep breathing) can set the tone for the day.

When life revolves around caring, food often becomes an afterthought. But blood sugar swings, skipped meals, or relying on caffeine and carbs can leave you depleted.

To optimise energy for Long COVID carers, it’s essential to fuel yourself with slow-burning, nutrient-dense meals. This doesn’t mean gourmet cooking or meal prepping for hours. It means prioritising real food that supports hormone balance, nervous system calm, and mental clarity.

• Choose colourful vegetables like leafy greens, carrots, beetroot, courgettes, and red peppers - packed with natural compounds that help your body stay calm and focused.
• Opt for gentle proteins such as well-cooked lentils, eggs, chicken, tofu, or white fish - easy on the digestive system and steady for your energy levels.
• Hydrate: fatigue is often dehydration in disguise. Add lemon or cucumber to your water to make it more appealing.

If you find yourself forgetting meals, try setting alarms, batch-cooking soups, or keeping high-protein snacks on hand.

Caring for someone with a chronic illness often means existing in a heightened state of alert. You’re always “on”, anticipating needs or managing unpredictability. Over time, this keeps your body in a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state, draining energy and disrupting sleep and digestion.

The antidote? Actively engaging your parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) system. This doesn’t mean adding “meditation” to your to-do list - it means weaving micro-restorative moments into your day to support long-term resilience.

• Box breathing (inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4) to calm your heart rate
• Earthing: standing barefoot on grass for 10 minutes can reduce cortisol levels
• Laughter: re-watch a favourite comedy or phone someone who makes you laugh
• Scent as a signal: use calming essential oils like lavender or frankincense during wind-down routines

These are not luxuries, they are lifelines.

Carers often say yes by default. But chronic caregiving without boundaries leads to burnout and resentment. Protecting your energy for Long COVID carers means learning to say no with compassion and yes with intention.

This might mean:

• Saying no to extra work commitments
• Asking for help, even if it feels awkward
• Delegating household tasks
• Letting go of perfection

Boundaries are not about being selfish. They are about preserving your capacity to keep showing up - without losing yourself in the process.

One of the most challenging aspects of caring for someone with Long COVID is how invisible it can be. You may find yourself withdrawing from friends, skipping social events, or avoiding conversations where you feel misunderstood.

But isolation drains energy. Connection restores it.

Even a single regular check-in with a friend, therapist, or peer support group can create a space where you are witnessed, heard, and supported. You are allowed to talk about your own experience - even if your loved one is going through something difficult. You are not alone, and connection is powerful medicine.

Being a carer for someone with Long COVID requires strength, love, and resilience, but it should not require you to sacrifice your own health. Prioritising energy for Long COVID carers isn’t selfish; it’s sustainable. You matter. Your well-being is essential.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or depleted, start small. Choose one practice from this list to implement this week. Then another next week. Slowly, you can build a foundation of care that includes you.

Want to learn more about how health coaching can help you? Schedule a free consultation today!

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