How Long COVID Impacts the Brain and Body: A Neurological Perspective

What happens when the brain’s threat perception is heightened, like with Long COVID?

In today’s world, the effects of Long COVID have left many grappling with lingering physical and emotional challenges. These challenges, however, aren't just surface-level issues—they are deeply rooted in the brain’s survival mechanism. Understanding how the brain functions when it perceives threat is crucial for overcoming these lingering symptoms, and this is where Applied Neurology, as taught through **Next Level Neuro**, can make a real difference.

The Brain's Primary Role = Survival

At its core, the brain's main job is survival. Constantly scanning your environment, it looks for potential threats—both real and imagined—and reacts by adjusting your body’s responses to ensure your safety. While this is a vital function, what happens when the brain stays stuck in "survival mode"?

When someone experiences Long COVID, their nervous system may remain in this heightened state of threat perception long after the virus has left their body. This results in what we call "threat lock," where the brain is overly cautious and keeps the body in a state of tension.

The Two Sides of the Nervous System

It will be through both sides of these systems that applied neurology will be applied to decrease "threat" in clients.  This tension shows up through the balance between two systems in the nervous system:  

1. Sympathetic Nervous System:

Known as the “fight or flight” system, it prepares the body to face danger. When active, your heart rate increases, muscles tighten, and stress hormones flood your system.

2. Parasympathetic Nervous System:

This is the “rest and digest” system, responsible for relaxation, recovery, and healing. Ideally, it should activate when the threat has passed.

However, in cases like Long COVID, the ongoing neuronal damage and inflammation can leave the sympathetic system turned on all the time. This prevents the body from switching back to a healing state, leading to persistent symptoms like: (do any of these symptoms present themselves to your clients when they come to see you?)

So we ask you, is it all biomechanical or can we all start to have the conversation around the brain and its MASSIVE role in our health? 

- Muscle tightness and pain: Your body may feel tense as if bracing for danger.
- Anxiety and depression: These emotional states arise when the brain perceives long-term threats.
- Reduced movement and energy: When the body is locked in a protective state, energy and mobility are limited.

Applied Neurology: A Path to Healing

Healing from this constant state of threat isn’t just about rest or medication—it’s about retraining your brain. At Next Level Neuro, we teach the principles of Applied Neurology, helping you understand how to decrease the brain’s perception of threat. When you can influence the brain to feel safe again, the nervous system can finally move out of survival mode and into a state of recovery.

Through our courses, you’ll learn how to use simple, practical exercises to stimulate specific areas of the nervous system, reduce tension, and facilitate healing. By understanding these tools, you can take control of your recovery process, especially when traditional approaches haven't provided relief.

Taking the First Step

Whether you’re struggling with Long COVID, chronic pain, or just want to optimize your brain function, understanding how your brain perceives threat is the first step toward healing. At Next Level Neuro, we provide the education and tools to help you decrease that threat, unlock tension, and recover more effectively.

Visit our mentorship page to explore our courses and start your journey to better brain health today.

#NextLevelNeuro #AppliedNeurology #BrainHealth #LongCOVIDRecovery #TensionAndThreat**