A sore throat, congestion or feeling pretty rundown? Then you could have the freshers flu.
First of all let’s clarify a few things. As bad as you may think, freshers’ flu is not usually caused by the flu virus, it is actually a bad cold caused by a range of common viruses.
It takes time for your body and your immune system to fight a virus and you should usually feel better within a week, but here are some things you can do to help with the recovery process.
- Sleep is truly your best friend when trying to recover from anything.
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At least 7-8 hours of sleep a night is recommended to help make sure your body recovers.
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Siesta Time - If you are extremely sleep deprived, take a nap - we recommend a maximum of 20 minutes so the nap doesn't interfere with your sleep cycle.
- Hydration - Drinking plenty of water is always recommended to help fight any nasty viruses (aim for 8-10 cups a day).
- Eating Good - Fruits and vegetables contain the vitamins and minerals you need to fight infections and boost your immune system. Time to opt for salad over pizza hut, and even try our Colourful Cuisine program!
- Avoid energy drinks - Two fakes you want to avoid this freshers: fake friends and fake forms of energy! Try to avoid energy drinks as these give you a false sense of energy, leaving you more drained than before and often more dehydrated.
- Detox and Relax - You don’t only need a physical detox but also a mental one, you have just been super social so take some time to slow down and relax. Gathering your thoughts is really important for processing all the craziness of freshers!
Freshers’ flu is usually not serious, but if your symptoms aren’t improving after one week, if you have a very high temperature or you feel hot and shivery, please do reach out to one of our doctors! Also remember Covid-19 can have very similar symptoms to freshers' flu.