Can Finding Purpose Actually Lower Inflammation?
When you’re stuck in the thick of Long Covid brain fog and fatigue, ‘purpose’ feels like a luxury that you can’t afford. You just want to be able to walk to the kitchen or remember where you put down your keys. You want enough energy in your energy envelope to successfully get through the day.
But what if I told you that rediscovering your sense of purpose is actually a biological tool for your recovery?! I just found a scientific journal article that shares exactly this finding:
The Science: What Your Bloodwork Says About Your ‘Why’
A recent study (Sutin et al., 2023) looked at nearly 9,000 adults and found a striking connection between our mindset and our molecules. The researchers discovered that individuals with a high sense of purpose had significantly lower markers of systemic inflammation.
Specifically, they had lower levels of IL-6 and C-Reactive Protein (CRP). These are the exact inflammatory markers often cited in chronic illness and "cytokine storms." The study even suggested that this lower inflammation helped protect their episodic memory, which is the very thing that leds to ‘mental fog’ when we are most unwell.
My Own Healing Journey: From Full Recovery from Long Covid to my Mission to help others
During my own recovery from Long Covid, I initially felt lost. My sense of self had always been tied to being so busy and productive. When that was completely taken away by chronic fatigue, I had to look deeper.
Through pacing through regular meditation breaks, I began to see a new path. Gradually, as I began to do a little better, and got out of the ‘boom and bust’ cycle, my inner purpose shifted from doing to helping. I realized that the tools helping me to survive - the quiet moments of energy work and the gentle movement of very careful Restorative Yoga, were things others desperately needed.
I’m pretty sure that the moment I found my ‘Why’ for full recovery, my own healing accelerated. Having a greater purpose that was bigger than myself gave my nervous system a new, healing signal.
The Power of Gratitude
Alongside this inner purpose that fuelled me to create the Long Covid Hope Podcast and start my Healing Restorative Yoga for Long Covid classes, I have also found that gratitude is a very effective daily medicine. It’s hard to feel grateful when your body feels like it’s failing you, but I recommend starting small:
Gratitude that the sun came up today.
Gratitude for my warm and comfortable bed.
Gratitude for the 10% of my body that felt ‘okay’ that day.
Gratitude for the people in my life that care about me.
Science shows that gratitude shifts us out of the ‘fight or flight’ mode and into the ‘rest and digest’ state (the parasympathetic nervous system). When we combine Gratitude (which calms the heart) with Purpose (which focuses the mind), we are creating an ideal environment for the body to heal itself.
How to Start When You’re Exhausted
You don't need to launch a business today to have a purpose! Let’s start small:
Find one ‘Micro-Why’: Maybe your purpose today is simply to be a calm presence for your cat or to send one supportive text to a friend.
The 3-Point Evening Gratitude Practice: Before sleep, find three tiny things that went right today. This tells your brain it is safe to rest.
Energy Clearing: If your ‘Why’ feels blocked or unavailable to you, a Remote Reiki Healing can help clear the static so you can hear your inner voice again.
Thanks for reading! If this content resonates with you, and you can use some help and support with your own healing journey, I am available for ad-hoc 1-1 online sessions. I also offer the Healing and Wellness Mentorship if you are ready to take the step to invest in yourself. Don’t be shy! Please do get in touch.
