Aging Begins at 30

Bed Rest Is Dangerous

Bed rest is a harmful treatment and is associated with muscle wasting and weakness. That's why the doctors and nurses get you up and walk you the day after your operation. In bed there is also sensory deprivation and depression may occur. Others develop a significant increase in anxiety, hostility and sleep disturbances. Even if there is nothing wrong with you to begin with, damage will be done. These changes occur in immobile space astronauts or medical students put to bed in an experiment. There is a loss of muscle strength of 10% weekly in bed. The loss is greatest in the muscles needed in standing and walking, with muscle fatigue, with aching in the shoulders back and legs.

After days or weeks in bed patients are unable to concentrate, recall events and solve problems. After a few days or weeks your bones begin to lose calcium, which can lead to a broken bone or kidney stones. Long term, you can develop a bed sore or decubitus ulcer. For these reasons and others we have turning frames, revolving circular beds, Balkan Frames with exercise bars and waterbeds. Your heart works less well than it should in bed. Increase your oxygen intake every two hours by deep breathing and coughing.

Before we knew of these dangers, I had a young patient with bacterial endocarditis (heart valve infection) who enjoyed her bed during her 6-week treatment period. She dropped dead when signing her discharge papers. If you travel a lot or far you must remember to exercise at least every hour or you may get clots in your legs that fly off in the blood stream to your lungs and kill you. That's what happened to my young endocarditis patient.

Please stay out of bed. My sister at 68 took to her bed tired because of badly treated arthritis, lack of exercise and asthma. She died about ten years before she should have. On the positive side, getting out of bed promotes a sense of well-being and promotes the appetite and so increases your food intake.

Dr. Richard Asher expressed it well in a 1947 article entitled the Dangers of Going to Bed. "Look at the patient lying in bed. What a picture he makes. The blood clotting in his veins, the lime draining from his bones, and the spirit evaporating from his soul."

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See related Patient Topics Exercise for Seniors, Preventing Disease and Staying Healthy, Seniors' Health or Wellness and Lifestyle.

See related Provider Topics Preventing Disease and Staying Healthy, Seniors' Health or Wellness and Lifestyle.

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