Top 10 Ways to Take Care of Yourself When You Are Sick

 

It's cold outside, and you're sick.

It could be the middle of summer and you're sick. Being sick can be annoying and a major inconvenience.
Most times, you'll find yourself falling sick after a stressful event. In most cases, you will also find yourself alone when you have to take care of yourself.

When that happens, remember to take care of yourself because, after all, health is very important.

Here are ten things you can do to take care of yourself when you fall sick.

1) Rest

You're going to feel tired anyway, so don't even try to fight it. The best way to heal is to let your body fight on its own. When you are sleeping, your body starts to repair and heal. So wear your most comfortable pyjamas and take as much rest as possible.

2) Drink water

The best way to get the germs out of your body is to drink as much water as possible.
Also, when you have a fever, your body tends to get dehydrated. Do drink water even if you don't feel like it.
Or drink electrolyte solutions to regain important minerals lost when your body is fighting off an infection.

3) Make tea for yourself

This works when you have a sore throat. There are many herbal teas available in the market, but you can always make your own teas. Add ginger, cinnamon, or honey to not only enhance the taste but to introduce your body to ingredients that help fight germs and strengthen your immunity system.

4) Make easy comfort food

When you are sick, you want to be pampered, but you also don't crave your favourite foods and snacks anymore. All you want is something warm and something easy to make and eat.
Soups can be delicious and nutritional but not as easy to make. You can find some cup soups in the market that only require a cup of boiling water. But they can also contain preservatives and extra sodium. Read labels before you stock up on cup soups.
You can always order takeout if you're too sick to cook. Or find easy soup recipes online.

5) Order lozenges and medicines online

Fortunately, nowadays you can find websites that deliver lozenges and over the counter medicines to your house.
If you are feeling sick and don't feel like going out, download the app or visit the website to order lozenges, multivitamins, etc, to help you recover.

6) Keep yourself entertained by watching your favourite shows

Distraction can be the best medicine. Sometimes, cheering yourself up can help you heal faster. So relax, and put on your favourite shows.
Of course, if your head hurts or you feel nauseous, try other ways to entertain yourself, like closing your eyes and listening to soothing music or your favourite book on audio.

7) Take a break from housework

Everyone likes a clean house, and you may have never gone a day without cleaning up after yourself. But now it's time to relax. Pushing yourself to do tasks you have no energy for can slow down your recovery process.
Let the dishes stack up, postpone your dusting and sweeping for another day.
When you're sick, nothing is more important than your health and you.

8) Take a shower

A shower can sometimes help bring down a fever. A hot shower can decongest your sinuses.
But before taking a shower, make sure you don't feel too weak. The last thing you want is to slip and hurt yourself in the shower.

9) Keep yourself warm and comfortable

If you feel chilly, keep yourself warm. Even if it is summer and you wonder why you should cover yourself up, it is best to listen to your body.
Wear socks and a jacket over your pyjamas to keep yourself warm. If during the day you start feeling better, you can always remove your socks and the jacket.

10) Do light exercise, but do not over exert yourself. Be patient with your recovery time.

Laying in bed can get boring after a while. It's okay to do some light walking, but only if you feel well. Try to take slow walks around your house or close to your home.
If you feel lightheaded, immediately sit or lie down.
Recovery can take some time. Even if you feel better in the middle of the day, try to take it easy and give yourself a whole day to rest.
If you don't, you may just end up falling sick again.
So be patient when you are sick.

Take as much time as it needs for you to recover fully.