As
much as I complain of being too hot and sweaty once we get into the
depths of summer; winter is a season that I really can’t get on board
with. I have found autumn/winter to be the hardest months for handling my
chronic illness so I planned ahead and felt I knew better
about what to expect. I’m not a fan of the cold and as such count down the days to
warmer weather. Not only that but the darker evenings can often leave me
feeling a bit meh, and I know that I am not alone in feeling like that!. I thought I’d share my advice on how i’m getting
through those dark months.Prevention is always better than cureHaving an chronic illness means you are particularly vulnerable to becoming unwell over the winter period. There is an increase in circulating viruses over the winter and people living with a chronic illness are more vulnerable to infections.
Get your seasonal Flu vaccaination and make sure that your Pneumoia vaccine is up to date. Watch out for your infection control practices. Try and wash your hands as you go along, or use alchol gel if you are out and about to keep your bug load to a minuim on your hands. Be really careful about taking your medications properly, get familiar with your medication and know why you are taking them, and what the protential side effects of them are. Make sure you are comfortable Having a chronic illness means you are in pain a lot of the time! Making sure you have things that make you feel more comfortable and eases the pain a little is very important. Keeping warm is a key, from wearing soft PJs and thermal socks to using an electric blanket can help alot. If you can afford it invest in a new mattress or mattress topper. It will make an difference to pain levels during the night and insomia.
Take Some Time Off We
might be into January now, but that doesn’t mean that we’re over the
hustle and bustle of Christmas. The festive season is often a busy one
that is demanding on our time – and with a daughter I know exactly how
you feel. I make sure that I take time off when I need to and when
possible – just to take some time out for me. I have a good family
support network which means that I can have an evening to myself or see
some friends, which is really important. Even when my daughter is with
me, sometimes taking an hour out and soaking in the bath makes all of
the difference so I make an effort to make sure I have set time aside to
do this. Communicate Communication
is important so I make sure that I keep in touch with friends about how
I am feeling. I know that sometimes my friends are feeling the same as
me, so opening up the communication channels gives them an excuse to get
things off of their chest too; which really helps everyone. If you’re
feeling the strain then even reaching out to something such as an online counselling service can help – this gives you an opportunity to talk to
an unbiased, trained professional about how you are feeling and get
some practical help and advice. Set Boundaries One
of the things I have learned in later life is to set boundaries and not
feel obliged to take part in events and accept social invitations when I
am not feeling up to it. Sometimes we can be worried to say no for fear
of offending people or not being invited again; but this often means
that we accept too many social invites and this can leave us feeling
burned out. I no longer feel afraid to say that I can’t attend an event
and instead, have made sure my friends understand where I am coming from
and respect my declining their invite – and of course, there is always
the option for me to suggest alternative plans in the future. Pace yourselfThis is one thing I find really hard to do, as it can be hard to implement into your life. It has taken me a few years to get to the point that I now know how much I can and cannot do. It can be hard letting go of how your life used to be and what you we able to do. Things you can do to pace yourself and help you live better with your illness include; having a routine, prioritising important tasks and sheducling rest.
Have a Winter ready planIt is so important to have a plan in place incase you become a little bit unwell with your chronic illness that you know what to do to self care and also to know when you have got to the point where you really need to go and see your doctor. Have a chat wth your GP about developing a self care plan so that you so you can look after yourself as indepently as you can.
It is also important not to hibernate
away all winter and not see anyone. Instead, make plans that suit you –
even if that is just seeing a friend for a coffee after the school run
or inviting them over to watch a movie one evening. It doesn’t have to
be anything extravagant to make a difference; but it does give you a
chance to have some fun and socialise with someone you care about – and
that often is a great step to helping us feeling better. If you have any tips for self-care and looking after ourselves during the winter season I would love you to share them below.
