Jane 
After being ill for close to two months, I finally feel my energy and essence flow back into my body and soul. Being sick sucks, to state the obvious. In short, a viral infection knocked me sideways and left me feeling tremendously fatigued whereby, on some days, I was unable to get off the sofa.
While I have recovered just in time to be able to attend some lovely Christmas events (photo above taken at the Worshipful Company of the Glaziers of which I am a Freeman), my lesson learnt is that the older we get the longer the recovery time from being sick hence eating healthy and resting as a way to build up immunity are very important.
While Christmas isn’t exactly the time to slow down with so much to do, do find time in December as the year draws to an end to sit back and kick back.
It’s easy to forget that our bodies slow down in the healing process as we age and in inverse proportion to the amount of wisdom and lived experiences we accumulate in our brains and hearts. It’s almost a paradox.
Living fast is the game in town in our younger days and, in our midlife years, it’s the art of resting and self-care which is the new rule.
While living fast doesn’t require much thought beyond filling your calendar with what’s on and what to wear, the latter years require some mindset changes on putting rest and recreation up there as a priority. I certainly have learnt the necessity of doing this in the last two moths.
Here are reasons why a midlife health mindset change is required:
1. The immune system slows down.
Your body still fights infections, but it does it more slowly and less efficiently, which naturally stretches out recovery time.
2. Inflammation hangs around longer.
After flu, your body remains in “repair mode” for a bit, and that lingering inflammation can keep you tired, achy, and foggy.
3. Chronic conditions play a role.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid issues — anything in the mix can extend recovery because your system is juggling more than one job.
4. Energy reserves aren’t what they used to be.
When you’re younger, you bounce back with leftover fuel.
In your 60s, your body uses the whole tank just getting you through the worst of it.
5. Muscle mass affects recovery too.
Less muscle = slower bounce back.
It’s unfair, but biology didn’t consult us.
And do remember:
Recovery is not just physical — it’s hormonal and emotional too.
Viruses knock your mood, sleep, and stress response off-kilter, and those take longer to reset in midlife and beyond.
So if you’re still exhausted, foggy, or “not yourself” after weeks… it’s normal. Not nice, but normal.
Be kind to your body because it’s doing far more behind the scenes than you realise.
