You survived the ICU. Now comes the recovery no one warned you about.
After critical illness, the body, the mind, and the mood all take time to come back. Doctors call it post-intensive care syndrome, and this guide shows you what to expect and where to start.1
What happens after the ICU?
Recovering from critical illness is its own kind of healing. Here is what to expect, so none of it takes you by surprise.
It takes months, not days
Deep tiredness and weakness after a long illness are expected. Rest without guilt, and let strength come back a little at a time.2
Foggy thinking is common
Trouble focusing or following a conversation happens to many survivors. It often improves over the months after discharge.3
The mood takes time too
Ups and downs, worry, and low moments are part of recovery. Talking about the ICU stay with someone you trust helps, and talk therapy with a professional is an option too.1
Start with three small moves, from a bed or a chair.
These are the gentlest way to begin. Watch the short demonstration, then try it at your own pace. Stopping to rest is part of it, not a setback.6
Ankle pumps
Keeps blood moving after time in bed. One of the first movements you can do without getting up.8
- 1Lie or sit with your legs relaxed
- 2Point your toes up toward the ceiling
- 3Point them down, away from you
- 4Do a few on each foot, slowly
Seated leg lifts
Gently wakes up the thigh muscles you will need to stand up safely later on.8
- 1Sit with your feet flat on the floor
- 2Straighten one knee and hold your leg out
- 3Hold for a slow count of five
- 4Lower gently, then switch legs
Deep breathing
Helps you breathe more easily, and calms the body when things feel heavy.9
- 1Breathe in slowly through your nose
- 2Let your belly rise as it fills with air
- 3Breathe out slowly through pursed lips
- 4Repeat a few easy breaths
Move at a comfortable pace, and stop if you feel dizzy or short of breath. If a movement does not feel right, it can wait. Your care team can tell you which movements are best for you.
Check your medicines.
Leaving the ICU often means a long new list of medicines. Look each one up, and it goes onto a sheet you print and carry to the follow-up visit. We never tell you to stop or change anything. If typing is hard, ask the person helping you, or bring your pill bottles to your next visit.
Never stop or change a medicine on your own. This tool is here to help you talk with your doctor, not to replace them.
FunctionalHealth
My medicine list
Type a few letters and pick your medicine from the list. If it is not there, add it just as it reads on your bottle.
For example: lisinopril.
Search powered by the NIH RxTerms database. Your care team manages dosing.
Saved on this phone only. Nothing is sent to us. Your list stays here for your next visit, and shows up on your other guides too.
No medicines on the list yet.
Your ICU stay, explained.
See why you feel this way now, in two calm minutes. Pick what your care team told you, and we walk it through one picture at a time. No hard words.
FunctionalHealth
What did your care team say is going on?
Tap the one that sounds like you. There is no wrong answer. If you are not sure, your discharge papers usually say, or ask your care team.
Care teams use many names, and not every condition is here yet. That is completely OK. Ask your care team what to call what happened, and you can read about most conditions in plain words at MedlinePlus.
MedlinePlus health topics (NIH)Scary memories are part of it.
After the ICU, many survivors have vivid nightmares, or clear memories of things that never happened. These often trace back to delirium, a state of confusion that is common during the ICU stay.5 Nightmares or flashbacks that keep coming back after discharge are a stress response. For some survivors this is post-traumatic stress (PTSD). A mental health professional can help, and the regular doctor can make the referral.10 Here is how to help.
Speak calmly and reassure
Frightening dreams and memories that never happened are common after the ICU. A calm voice and simple words help. Reassure them that they are safe.5
Gently return to now
In a confused moment, remind them of the day and date, and say where they are. A familiar face and a lit room help the real world return.5
Keep an ICU diary together
Family members and the care team can keep a diary of what happens in the hospital, day by day. Later, it helps link the memories to the care that was received.2
Take a calm minute.
Recovery is work, and worry is part of it. A slow breath or a few quiet minutes settles the body. Use this any time of day.
Ready when you are
There is no wrong pace. Follow the circle, and breathe in a way that feels easy for you.
To wind down tonight
- Turn screens off before bed. Let your mind land first.
- Do something calm and a little boring. Page through a magazine, or listen to quiet music.
- Make your last coffee early in the afternoon. Caffeine lingers for hours.
- Skip the nightcap. Alcohol makes you sleepy at first, then breaks up the second half of the night.
Sources: American Academy of Sleep Medicine · Sleep Foundation, caffeine and sleep · Sleep Foundation, alcohol and sleep.
More in our sleep guideGuided daily recovery
Keep the gentle movements going, with a guided daily session.
A free account gives you a guided daily recovery session: gentle movement, breathing, and a library your family can read too.
Create free accountFor the caregiver: two cards to keep close by.
If you are the one caring for someone home from the ICU, these two print sheets carry the important parts, so you do not have to hold it all in your head.
When to call the care team
Notice one of these, and the care team is the place to start.
- Confusion or memory loss that is getting worse
- A fever, or other signs of infection
- Cannot eat or drink, or getting weaker fast
- Flashbacks, panic, or severe anxiety10
- Any sign that worries you and will not settle
Symptoms treated as emergencies: trouble breathing, chest pain, a high fever with shaking chills, or someone who seems very unwell. Emergency services exist for symptoms like these.
Questions for the visit
Tap the questions that matter to you, then print the list.
Caring for someone from the ICU is heavy.
If you are struggling, there is help for you too. You can talk to someone any time, day or night.11
Call or text 988 (free, 24/7)- 1Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS): effects on the body, thinking, and mood. Cleveland Clinic
- 2PICS patient fact sheet: ICU-acquired weakness and recovery that can take months to years. American Thoracic Society
- 3How often ICU survivors have weakness, thinking changes, and mood problems. AACN Advanced Critical Care
- 4Delirium: symptoms and causes. MedlinePlus
- 5ICU delirium, which affects about 2 out of 3 ICU patients, explained for patients and families. Vanderbilt CIBS Center
- 6Early mobilization and simple movement help ICU survivors regain strength. American Thoracic Society
- 7ICU recovery resources and family support for survivors and caregivers. Society of Critical Care Medicine
- 8Sitting exercises: ankle stretches lower blood clot risk, and leg lifts build strength for standing from a chair. NHS
- 9Diaphragmatic breathing: helps you relax and relieves shortness of breath. Cleveland Clinic
- 10PTSD after the ICU: nightmares and vivid memories in some survivors, and where to find help. Vanderbilt CIBS Center
- 11988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: free, confidential support by call, text, or chat, 24/7. 988 Lifeline
Guidance on this page is educational and reviewed against the sources above.
Your next step
Go gently today
One gentle movement is enough. Slow counts, and rest whenever you need to.
This page is for education only and is not medical advice. Recovery timelines vary from person to person. Always follow the care team's instructions and contact them with any concern.