Thursday 21 August 2014

POTS and Exercise

If you have POTS, you know that when you exercise you feel like your head is going to roll of your body or float up to the ceiling because you're so lightheaded. It sucks, there's no lying about it. But there's also no way to avoid it - keeping your exercise to a routine and making goals is essential to any POTS treatment. 

So what's my plan? I bike Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for half an hour with little/no resistance. It's not to work my muscles, but to train my body to get used to being upright. On Wednesday and Sunday I do yoga, to help stretch and tone my muscles, and on Saturday I have a day off. It's only four hours of exercise a week, so it's not that bad and it's definitely working!

Every couple of months I change my cardio to something a bit more challenging. I've been on the recumbent bike for a while (my base level, but you could also use a rowing machine as it's also recumbent exercise), and this last week I've moved up to the regular upright bike. It's definitely more challenging, but the more I'm on it the easier it will get and the better I will feel when I'm upright, on and off the bike! The key is not to push yourself too far and relapse your symptoms - baby steps please. 

So that's my plan! Do you have an exercise routine, or any tips and tricks to share? Leave a comment telling me what they are!

Good luck,
Bridge

2 comments:

  1. Omg I go cycling as well!

    But do you go spinning on stationary bikes? Have you ever considered cycling as a sport? Its really fun, and you can sign up in teams, and go out and meet new people. Also great scenery and you get a great tan.

    I def want to get into yoga though.

    Love from Canada,
    Marie from www.ElleCharie.com

    Please check out my latest post about Back to School Makeup!

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    1. Ahh! You're my first comment!! Haha I find that so exciting!

      My POTS atm is too unpredictable for me to sign up for a team so right now I'm just biking at the gym, but maybe I'll give it a go in the summer time :) Yoga's great at a class or at home, definitely would recommend!

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