Self care after illness

Every once in a while we all come down with something. It’s how we take care after the illness that leads to protecting ourselves from reoccurrence. Here are a few helpful hints: 1. Call in sick to work. To take care of yourself when you’re sick, you should give yourself time to relax and recover. If at all possible, let your employer know that you are sick and need to take a couple days off work. If you do need to work, try to minimize your tasks and stress as much as possible. Not going to work when you’re sick is kind to your fellow employees. Tell your employer you don’t want to spread germs. 2. Sleep as much as you can. When you are sick, sleeping allows your body to recover. Let yourself sleep for as long as you need. If you can’t sleep, stay in bed and rest as much as possible. You can also do relaxing activities in bed like reading, doing a crossword puzzle, or journaling. 3. Exercise only if your symptoms are above the neck. If you have a common cold with symptoms such as a runny nose or sneezing, exercising moderately may help you feel better. It can, for instance, clear your nasal passage. Try walking instead of running, and take breaks whenever you feel that you need them. If you have symptoms of a fever or the flu, such as an upset stomach or a hacking cough, avoid exercising. It could make your symptoms worse. 4. Keep the air moist. If you have a cold or cough, place a humidifier near your bed. Humidifiers add moisture to the air, which can help soothe the symptoms of a cold. You want the humidity level to be between 30 and 50 percent. 5. Turn off phone and computer. Having your phone and computer nearby may tempt you to work or scroll endlessly through social media. To resist that temptation, and to truly be able to rest, keep your computer and phone in a different area than where you are resting, or turn them off. Screen time also causes eye strain, and scrolling through a smartphone can increase feelings of nausea. Give yourself the gift of a screen-time break. 6. Drink warm fluids like broths, warm water, and tea. It is very important to keep yourself hydrated while you’re sick, and warm drinks can help soothe your throat and stomach. Consider adding honey to warm water or tea for an additional soothing effect. 7. Take Vitamin C. Some believe that Vitamin C can help shorten time out of work. To take care of yourself when you’re sick, you should give yourself time to relax and recover. We have to think of everyone else around us by thinking of ourselves