Food, Hydration, and Rest: How to Feel Better After Donating Blood by Being Prepared

More often than not, when I’m trying to recruit a blood donor as an InceptConversational Marketing Expert (CME), I can sense apprehension to donate again from a donor in the tone of their voice. “I just don’t know, especially after last time. I felt so dizzy and tired the rest of the day”, one might say. This can be a response that blood donors reverberate at times.

Donating blood is an awesome thing to do for someone else who you don’t even know. That being said, everyone is different when it comes to donating blood. The way your body may react to the donation can even change each time depending on how well you were prepared to give blood.

With the summertime need apparent more than ever now, we need people to donate! Here is some information on how you can feel better mentally and physically about donating blood by taking these steps and having this knowledge about the topic.

Blood Donation Preparation and Recuperation

  • Get a good night’s sleep before attempting to donate blood.
  • Eat something two-to-four hours before donating blood to give your body digestion time.
  • Focus primarily on eating foods that are rich in iron.
  • Stay hydrated the whole day, stick to clear liquids, and stay away from diuretics such as coffee, tea, or energy drinks.
  • If you are physically active (lifting, training, sports, etc.) take it easy for at least twenty-four hours before resuming activity. Training before donating blood is perfectly fine to do.
  • Get a good night’s sleep after donating blood! The body heals itself the best during REM sleep!

As long as you take the steps above, more than likely, you will be completely okay with donating blood. The reason people might feel dizzy or woozy after donating blood is due to the fact that right after your blood has been donated, your body will begin the regeneration process and it will burn about 650 to 700 calories to do it! When you think about it, that is the equivalent of performing a strenuous physical activity, so it is no wonder a blood donor might be tired. Proper rest, nutrition, and hydration will all help your body stay in tremendous balance with itself when donating blood.

What questions or concerns do you have about being properly prepared to donate blood?