New figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that more than a million people in the UK were experiencing ‘long Covid’ in a recent four-week period. It’s been called the hidden health crisis of the pandemic, with symptoms including extreme fatigue, pain, heart problems and so-called ‘brain fog’.

There’s no clinical evidence that the Alexander Technique can help with long Covid. However, I know Alexander Technique colleagues who are working with sufferers. In Mexico, there are even workshops that include Alexander Technique as part of a post-Covid recovery programme. The following are the kinds of ways in which the Alexander Technique could help with long Covid:

conserving energy
quietening the nervous system
improving breathing
improving mental and physical awareness
reducing muscle aches and pains
dealing with negative emotions

Alexander Technique teachers have for many years helped those with the related condition of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as ME. Long Covid and ME are both post-viral illnesses and they have overlapping symptoms – including, in particular, a very debilitating fatigue which is often activity-induced.

The connection between the two conditions is important to understand because it suggests that long Covid sufferers could benefit from Alexander Technique in the same way that ME sufferers can. If you have long Covid, the best Alexander Technique starting point would first be to incorporate ‘Active Rest’ into your daily rest routine. I’ve created a free 15 minute ‘Active Rest’ audio you can try.

Some ME sufferers have gone on to train as Alexander Technique teachers. Their experiences therefore provide a unique insight into its benefits for this group of people. Here’s what a couple of them have said:

The Alexander Technique makes no claim to be a cure for CFS/ME, but by learning to use yourself more efficiently it will help you to get the best out of what you have available to you. … As a sufferer myself I simply couldn’t imagine not having the Alexander Technique in my life.
https://www.alexander-technique-online.com/articles/cfs-me/

People with CFS generally hold an immense amount of tension in their bodies. Their breathing may be compromised through tension held around the rib cage. By using your body in an effective, stress free way the Technique can provide many benefits to a person with CFS including rediscovering a healthy balance between mind and body. By taking Alexander Technique lessons a person learns to use their body more effectively. So if you are using less energy every time you carry out an everyday activity, such as getting out of a chair or picking something up, then the energy you have lasts longer. As an ex-suffer of severe chronic fatigue I believe that the Alexander Technique actually increases your energy base. … For people with CFS who have compromised life styles, having Alexander Technique lessons can help them feel more positive about their medical condition as it empowers them to learn useful strategies on how to be kind to their body and live in the present.
http://alexandertechniqueleeds.com/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/