The process of surgical care and hospitalisation no longer involves a stay of days to weeks. Nor does it involve supervised convalescence. Instead, many patients spend only a few hours in a hospital or clinic and then go home. In addition, because of the advances in anaesthetic drugs and techniques, many patients feel quite clear-headed the next day. As a result, there is a temptation to resume all normal activities.

While getting back to normal activity is important, you must also give your body adequate rest and time to recover. As stated elsewhere, patients do not simply undergo an anaesthetic. They also undergo some kind of operation or procedure. This in itself is stressful, with the body reacting by producing stress hormones. Patients, who complain that they were ‘exhausted for weeks’ after their last anaesthetic, are encouraged to think about what they did after their last operation. Most often, these patients then relate that they proceeded with their lives as though nothing much had happened, and they attempted to do everything they did the day before the operation. Both patients and their families should understand that getting better requires rest, nutritious food, and gentle but progressive exercise.