After Your Bypass: Pacing Yourself

After your bypass surgery, it is important to get up and move around to regain strength in your muscles. Moving around and doing things also helps keep your spirits up. But you need to pace yourself. Doing too much won't hurt your heart, but it will make you tire more easily. Here are a few tips to help you get moving without overdoing it.

Dress each morning

When you get out of bed in the morning, get dressed. You will feel more like doing things if you are wearing daytime clothes. Getting dressed will also help keep you from feeling depressed.

Plan your day

Planning your day will help keep you from getting too tired.

• Plan your day so you won't have to climb stairs more than 1 or 2 times.

• Allow plenty of time for each thing you do. Remember, you won't be able to do things as quickly right now.

• Stop and rest whenever you get tired. You can finish what you're doing later, when you are rested.

• Limit the number of visitors you have and how long they stay. Visiting for more than a few minutes may tire you at first.

• Have someone drive you if you want to make short trips out of the house. Try to limit any trips to one hour for the first week you are home. You can gradually increase the time as you get stronger.

  If you need to rest for more than 1 hour after activity, you are most likely pushing yourself too hard. Do a little less the next day.

© 2000-2020 The StayWell Company, LLC. 800 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions. This information has been modified by your health care provider with permission from the publisher.