7 Daily Hacks to Help Those Living with Lupus

Life holds many unexpected challenges. Combine that with a chronic illness, like lupus for example, and one can get fairly overwhelmed in light of medical expenses, absences from work, family issues and so forth. These drawbacks do not even include the symptoms which can range from a variety of aches to knock-out-for-the-rest-of-the-day fatigue. So how does one cope with this condition?

Well, the good news is there are good days when the symptoms are not a problem. However, a person should take the time out to do something enjoyable instead of always trying to catch up on chores or getting ahead on work. Striking a balance between appeasing the nagging sense of urgency and taking advantage of a “good day” takes some practice. And it all begins with taking good care of oneself and implementing a few shortcuts in order to simplify different tasks. So here are some tips that might help with both the good and the not-so-good days.

• Let go of self-criticism- admitting your limitations is the most difficult tasks. However, when one is dealing with pain and fatigue even the smallest chore can pose a challenge. Hence it can be a powerfully positive action when you check from the list whatever that has been accomplished. You can reward yourself for the goals. This can affect the rest of the body in a positive way. At the same time if something is not accomplished acknowledge that some things may take time or cannot be achieved.

• Say NO or Not Now- if a person is not able to commit or attend a gathering then the person may feel guilt. However on account of a medical condition if certain commitments are not met then it is important to realize that some people will understand and you need not feel guilty about it. If you say ‘no’ then you can use your time wisely and take care of yourself.

• Cook simple meals- the most nutritious time and best meal may not take lot of time and is simplest to prepare. Only for the recipes you may need to do online research or take the idea from your friends or family. Also a lot of effort can be saved if the meal is prepared in advance and stored. Since ahead you may have a hectic week. If you are not able to do this then you even get handy microwaveable meals or if there is one available then make use of grocery delivery service.

• Use the shower chair- when there is a flare, standing even for a short time can be draining hence it would be ideal to use a bath tub. However if this is not possible then a shower chair can be used. Here the idea is to save energy by not standing.

• Tuning out at bed time- it becomes a vital task to guard the night time routine when dealing with fatigue during the day. For a good night sleep some tips are:
  • When necessary wear ear plugs
  • Eye mask can be worn
  • 30 minutes before going to bed all electronic devices should be turned off
  • Do meditation, stretching or deep breathing to relive tension
  • Get an app- you can get much needed assistance by employing an app when you cannot leave the house.
    • Instacart- from a local supermarket you can select grocery items
    • Skype- communicate with friends, family or work from home kind of situations
    • Uber-you want to go out but don’t feel like driving
    • Tasty home recipes- ideas on food recipes
    • Amazon Kindle, Google Play and Netflix- you can find music, books, novels and movies.

• Asking for help- even though this might be the most difficult thing to do but do not feel afraid to ask for help. The following will help you to request assistance:
  • When you do not feel well make a list of obligations
  • Trade off tasks such as running errands with a relative or friend, carpooling
  • Reach out to others through text, email or through a meeting

Basically in this journey you should not be alone. Help address challenges and meet goals by building a team.