Recovering from surgery doesn't happen overnight. It can take time to feel like yourself again after you've been in the hospital.
Hear what Mayo Clinic experts recommend for during and after a hospital stay to set yourself up for a smooth recovery.
Mayo Clinic experts explain: How to get back to life after a hospital stay
Timothy I. Morgenthaler, M.D.: The hospital experience and just the process of being ill is very disruptive to our natural circadian rhythm. You know when you get home, you're not going to feel better right away. You need to be a little bit patient with yourself.
The studies that have been done looking at how long does that disruption take to actually normalize seem to say two to three months to actually get back to normal.
Christopher V. DeSimone, M.D., Ph.D.: I think keeping mentally strong while in the hospital. To do that, you want to keep your mind occupied. I would bring some books, some videos, perhaps an iPad or a laptop. And keep your mind busy while you're in the hospital because that's at least 50% of your recovery.
Jennifer J. Rand, R.N.: Make sure that they follow whatever direction they've been given, so if you're told to take a narcotic for a couple of days, then you should do that for the first 24 to 48 hours just to stay ahead of that pain.
Jamie J. Van Gompel, M.D.: Make sure you understand your dismissal instructions really well. Ask questions in the hospital so that you understand what happens so that you can communicate with your medical team at home, so they can help you.
Dr. Morgenthaler: Things that people can do to help themselves is pay attention to the rhythm of life. Let's try to get our sleep at night. Let's try to remain active and involved in the light during the day as much as possible. The sooner you can begin initiating those, the more likely you are going to be to recover and feel better sooner.
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