Coping with chronic illness 2 | The Health Sessions

Bored & Sick: 30 More Fun Things You Can Do at Home Alone | The Health Sessions

Bored & Sick: 30 Entertaining Things You Can Do at Home Alone

It’s my most popular post of all-time: “28 Fun Things to Do When You’re Bored and Sick at Home”.

And that doesn’t surprise me. I know from experience how mind-numbing and depressing it can be to be stuck at home for weeks or months on end, unable to do the things you enjoy.

You might think that keeping yourself entertained while you’re sick is a luxury problem, but that’s exactly when you need good mental health the most. Positive distractions can take your mind off the pain and reduce stress, or act as a therapeutic form of self-expression that supports your overall health.

Of course, nowadays the Internet and on-demand entertainment provide you with an endless stream of movies to watch, books to read, music to listen to and social media to scroll through. And yet, staring at screens all day every day can be unfulfilling when you’re chronically ill – or worse, intensify headaches, eye strain and brain fog.

Are you done watching Netflix, playing video games and navel-gazing too? Then give these fresh ‘bored and sick’ tips a try to keep your mind entertained while your body rests!

How to Do Visualizations for Pain Relief | The Health Sessions

How to Do Visualization for Pain Relief

This blog post contains some affiliate links to products you may find useful, at no extra costs to you. All opinions are my own.

Do you ever picture yourself on a tropical beach, singing on stage or living your wildest dreams?

You may not realize it, but the mental pictures you create in your mind can have a powerful effect on your body and brain. Imagining yourself eating a decadent chocolate dessert literally makes your mouth water and your stomach rumble – even though you can’t actually smell, taste or see it in front of you. And fantasizing about that gorgeous guy or girl might make your heart skip a beat!

Visualization, also known as mental imagery or guided imagery, means you form a visual image of an object, landscape or situation in your mind. Many of us unconsciously do this every day, when we read a story, dream about the future or create a mental map of directions given to us.

But you can also purposely tap into your imagination and visualize peaceful, healing scenarios in order to support your health and happiness. Research has consistently shown that visualization helps you reduce stress, relax your muscles, and promote better sleep. Through this deep relaxation, visualization even has a positive impact on your immunity. It also literally takes your mind off pain, and significantly eases that aching. What’s more, by focusing on soothing scenarios or positive outcomes, visualization also reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.

So how does that work?

Everything You Need to Know About the Relationship Between Chronic Illness, Pregnancy, & Fertility

This article is written by Melissa Waltz.

Will I be able to conceive at all? Will pregnancy make my symptoms worse? Will my baby be okay? What if I need to take medication while I’m pregnant or trying to conceive? Am I physically strong enough to carry a baby and raise a newborn?

If you’re ready to start a family and you’re among the rising number of women dealing with chronic illness, the role your condition will play in your ability to conceive and carry a healthy baby to term is likely at top of mind.

Whether you have diabetes, arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, or another chronic disorder, it’s normal to have a lot of questions and concerns. Today, we’re going to answer some of those questions and talk about what you can do to increase your chances of having a positive experience.

Chronic Illness and A Career: Can You Have Both?

It’s one of the first questions we ask each other when we meet someone new: “So what do you do?”

Your job defines your life in more ways than just earning a living. Often, it’s also an expression of your talents and interests, whether that’s an intellectual challenge or a way to showcase and sharpen your skill set. Working allows you to contribute to the world and connect with coworkers and clients.

When you become chronically ill, suddenly managing your health becomes a full-time job. Your days are filled with hospital visits, trying new therapies and endless resting – and not the ‘chilling in the sun’ kind. It’s hard enough making it through the day without dealing with work deadlines on top of the pain, fatigue and debilitating symptoms.

If you’re not able to return to work, you may lose a part of your identity and self-worth. Not to mention the stress it gives to lose your income, depend on welfare or lean on your family, right when you need the money the most as the medical bills pile up. But even when your illness does not leave you housebound, you probably still wrestle with the question: How do I juggle working a 9-to-5 while managing a chronic disease?

16 Let Go Quotes That Will Help You Move On | The Health Sessions

16 Let Go Quotes That Will Help You Move Forward

Chances are, you are no stranger to loss. Especially when you live with MS, kidney disease or a heart condition, you haven’t just lost your health, but perhaps also your career, people in your life and that unshaken belief in your body. And you have a right to grieve the things you no longer have, and all the dreams for the future that might never come true now.

But loss isn’t all bad. Sometimes we need to shed the old in order to grow or to make room for new things. As the saying goes, autumn reminds us how beautiful it is to let things go. So ask yourself, what’s weighing me down that I could get rid of? What no longer serves me now that my life has changed?

Maybe you’ve come to realize that it doesn’t make much sense to be overly attached to certain possessions or status symbols. Maybe you have toxic people in your life who drain your energy instead of support you. Or perhaps it’s time to finally kick those limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns to the curb.

Letting go of the past isn’t easy. It takes patience, self-compassion and inner work. You have to make room for your negative emotions to flow and learn the lessons from the situations. Because holding on to pain doesn’t fix your problems.

So hopefully these 16 quotes will help you to let go – of the good and the bad – and move forward again with hope in your heart.