Recovery for the tired, tense and troubled
November 3, 2017 7:52 PM Subscribe
I'm on the tail end of a kind of intense and long week. I've had a constant headache for two days, stayed up later at night than usual and have gone to social things and school non stop. I'm probably dehydrated too. My head muscles are super tense and I went through a emotionally shaking (but not totally bad) ecperience. Tomorrow afternoon and Sunday I have most of the day to try to recover. What should I do to try to heal from all this craziness?
This is probably stress manifesting as physical illness, but I don't really know how to deal with getting a lot of things thrown at me.
This is probably stress manifesting as physical illness, but I don't really know how to deal with getting a lot of things thrown at me.
Drink lots of water. I find this easiest if the water is room-temp, has a little juice mixed in for flavour (I like 3/4 water + 1/4 orange or cranberry), and you drink through a straw.
Set a timer for 5 minutes and write a list of all the things you need to do.
Then enter them into your day planner, so you have a non-overwhelming game plan for tackling them.
Sleep lots. When you aren't sleeping, lie around on the sofa. Take a bath if that's your jam.
Take a multivitamin and a B12.
Eat delicious food, with extra fruit and veggies. If you eat meat, I find eating beef helps me get over colds quickly- I like it in Vietnamese pho soup, or even a burger.
Avoid other humans. Maybe even avoid internet & TV. Just lie quietly and veg out. Go for a little walk if you have the energy, but it's ok if not.
Hope you feel better soon!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:01 PM on November 3, 2017 [12 favorites]
Set a timer for 5 minutes and write a list of all the things you need to do.
Then enter them into your day planner, so you have a non-overwhelming game plan for tackling them.
Sleep lots. When you aren't sleeping, lie around on the sofa. Take a bath if that's your jam.
Take a multivitamin and a B12.
Eat delicious food, with extra fruit and veggies. If you eat meat, I find eating beef helps me get over colds quickly- I like it in Vietnamese pho soup, or even a burger.
Avoid other humans. Maybe even avoid internet & TV. Just lie quietly and veg out. Go for a little walk if you have the energy, but it's ok if not.
Hope you feel better soon!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:01 PM on November 3, 2017 [12 favorites]
Do you have the sort of spa nearby that has numerous soaking pools? (If you're in the LA area, memail me.) Somewhere you can spend the day drifting between sauna and hot soaking tub and medium soaking tub and Epsom soaking tub, maybe get a little massage or facial or super-special foot treatment, drink a little cucumber water, get back in the sauna, etc.
Barring that, do you have foot (or "reflexology") spas in your area? They are generally deeply quiet, dimly-lit, you can get a foot soak and then leg rub and then (clothed) body massage where someone reeeeeally digs an elbow into your lower back, and you slink out of there feeling like you're slightly floating.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:23 PM on November 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Barring that, do you have foot (or "reflexology") spas in your area? They are generally deeply quiet, dimly-lit, you can get a foot soak and then leg rub and then (clothed) body massage where someone reeeeeally digs an elbow into your lower back, and you slink out of there feeling like you're slightly floating.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:23 PM on November 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
If your home is a pleasant environment, then stay in your pajamas as much as possible. Order in takeout - something that hits the sweet spot between healthy and comforting - and nap relentlessly. Drink lots of water and herbal tea. Watch silly, delightful things on Netflix when you aren't napping. Re-read something great (but not too heavy) if that's something you find refreshing.
If you really have all day Sunday, then turn off your alarm and sleep until you wake up naturally. Then continue with the pajamas and NetFlix. If you get to feeling bored being inside, then take yourself to a park (assuming the weather cooperates).
I did basically this last weekend and it was pure. magic.
posted by bunderful at 8:43 PM on November 3, 2017 [7 favorites]
If you really have all day Sunday, then turn off your alarm and sleep until you wake up naturally. Then continue with the pajamas and NetFlix. If you get to feeling bored being inside, then take yourself to a park (assuming the weather cooperates).
I did basically this last weekend and it was pure. magic.
posted by bunderful at 8:43 PM on November 3, 2017 [7 favorites]
weed and comedy shows/movies
posted by Jacqueline at 8:59 PM on November 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Jacqueline at 8:59 PM on November 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
Let yourself sleep in, get up when you want to. Coffee and the internet to wake up, and a basic good breakfast.
Drink lots of water throughout the day, find a new-to-you local park and go there for a relaxing walk - around 30-45 minutes, more if you're feeling ambitious. Take snacks and water and a hat!
Going to a new place and exercise are good for you - plus fresh air and sunshine will help with any stress from the week.
On the way home, pick up some of your favorite takeout food and consume at home. Eat it straight out of the boxes if you want, or arrange on nice plates and make it fancy with place settings and nice napkins.
Nap whenever you want to; go catch a movie if you want to. Try to keep things low-key yet still interesting and fun. Call good friends for a chat if you feel like it. Long hot baths are a given.
The advice to write things down in your day planner or to-do list is excellent: get any nagging 'shoulds' down on paper instead of buzzing around your head.
Hope you feel better!
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 9:16 PM on November 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Drink lots of water throughout the day, find a new-to-you local park and go there for a relaxing walk - around 30-45 minutes, more if you're feeling ambitious. Take snacks and water and a hat!
Going to a new place and exercise are good for you - plus fresh air and sunshine will help with any stress from the week.
On the way home, pick up some of your favorite takeout food and consume at home. Eat it straight out of the boxes if you want, or arrange on nice plates and make it fancy with place settings and nice napkins.
Nap whenever you want to; go catch a movie if you want to. Try to keep things low-key yet still interesting and fun. Call good friends for a chat if you feel like it. Long hot baths are a given.
The advice to write things down in your day planner or to-do list is excellent: get any nagging 'shoulds' down on paper instead of buzzing around your head.
Hope you feel better!
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 9:16 PM on November 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
I find that if I get a nasty headache from dehydration, just rehydrating doesn't help (right away), ibuprofin or excederin may be necessary. Don't make a goal of relaxing, or other more important things will intrude; make some goals that are relaxing and give them high importance - i.e. I must read this book this weekend (and polish off that ice cream in the freezer so it doesn't go bad).
posted by 445supermag at 10:08 PM on November 3, 2017
posted by 445supermag at 10:08 PM on November 3, 2017
When my body is feeling out of whack, sometimes I go to a sliding-scale acupuncture clinic in my neighborhood. A massage might scratch a similar itch, especially paired with the netflix/takeout/pajama's suggestions...
posted by kylej at 10:56 PM on November 3, 2017
posted by kylej at 10:56 PM on November 3, 2017
Even if you don't go anywhere, do shower at some point each day. For me, at least, that's an awesome reset, and it helps with headaches, muscle aches, and congestion left over from colds. I always think, "Cool, the weekend, I don't have to shower or even move!" But showering has so many ancillary benefits. Also, heating pads are magical; put one over the back of your chair and now you have a heated chair.
Listen to a lot of music. Sing if you sing. If you drink, have a couple glasses of wine or a couple of mixed drinks on Saturday night. Rewatch a movie you love. Poke through something positive and affirming, like Instagram cat photos. Read before bed, ideally something escapist, fictional, and that you don't mind informing your dreams. Call or chat with friends, ideally ones who will make you laugh and take you out of your own head for a bit.
And yeah, eat whatever occurs to you to want. Get your favorite stuff and savor it. Take photos. Experiment with getting the right angle and lighting, if you like that sort of thing. Do something small but creative like that to give yourself a feeling of minor accomplishment. Draw for 15 minutes if you draw, and see if it leads anywhere. Don't stress out if you don't like the results. Just enjoy the process of making a thing for a bit with zero stakes.
But yeah, you don't have to feel like doing anything at all. Veg. Be well!
posted by limeonaire at 10:58 PM on November 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Listen to a lot of music. Sing if you sing. If you drink, have a couple glasses of wine or a couple of mixed drinks on Saturday night. Rewatch a movie you love. Poke through something positive and affirming, like Instagram cat photos. Read before bed, ideally something escapist, fictional, and that you don't mind informing your dreams. Call or chat with friends, ideally ones who will make you laugh and take you out of your own head for a bit.
And yeah, eat whatever occurs to you to want. Get your favorite stuff and savor it. Take photos. Experiment with getting the right angle and lighting, if you like that sort of thing. Do something small but creative like that to give yourself a feeling of minor accomplishment. Draw for 15 minutes if you draw, and see if it leads anywhere. Don't stress out if you don't like the results. Just enjoy the process of making a thing for a bit with zero stakes.
But yeah, you don't have to feel like doing anything at all. Veg. Be well!
posted by limeonaire at 10:58 PM on November 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Sleep. Take a Sudafed (the red ones you have to register as a meth dealer to get) because it will probably kill the 2-day headache. Drink more water.
posted by DarlingBri at 11:52 PM on November 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 11:52 PM on November 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Have some nice warm comforting soup or your favorite meal. Take a quiet walk, with a friend if you want to be with another human. If your home isn't as clean as usual, take some time to tidy up. Read a book, watch a show or movie that you've been wanting to for awhile. Take a nap.
posted by watrlily at 4:43 AM on November 4, 2017
posted by watrlily at 4:43 AM on November 4, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions and well wishes everyone! I will definitely try them. Going to get my favorite ramen and do something low key. I took a nice long soak and it helped. Will also try to take it easy for the next few weeks.
posted by starlybri at 7:47 AM on November 4, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by starlybri at 7:47 AM on November 4, 2017 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by starlybri at 7:56 PM on November 3, 2017