Restful Days #HAWMC

English: Masala Chai, Masala Tea, Spice Tea (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What is a day in like for me?  I have more days in than I would like thanks to Migraine.  There are a number of ways I can deal with them.  I can either get sucked into the depression that sometimes accompanies the illnesses I have or I can find ways to distract myself from the pain (mental and physical).  I choose to do the latter.  Not only is it much more helpful, it is a much healthier way of dealing with a not so ideal situation.  It also is a great way to wind down or relax on a day where not much is going on.

What are my go to distractions?  First off, I get into the most comfortable sweatshirt or long sleeved shirt, pants and fluffy socks I can find.  Next, I make myself a nice big cup of tea.  If I have a migraine, I'll have a cup of golden tea (my turmeric based anti-inflammatory rescue tea).  On non-pain days a cup of green chai does the trick.  Drinking hot beverages always relaxes me.  Since it can still get cold in the house, I'll wrap myself in a Snuggie, sit on the couch, and turn on the television.  Most people would say that watching TV with a migraine only worsens it, but if the pain is manageable, it serves as a great distraction.  As long as my neurostimulator is on and I have my other rescue tools, I can watch TV for quite some time.

In my house we subscribe to Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.  Finding something to watch isn't very hard at all.  There are always TV shows and movies that I haven't seen yet to occupy my time.  Our television in the family room is a smart TV, so I can access all three from the comfort of my couch.  Trying to keep up with all the shows on television right now can be dizzying.  On the days where I need to occupy my mind with something other than the pain I'm feeling, checking out the ones I don't normally watch keeps me entertained.  On days that I really need to escape mentally, I will watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  I love Tolkien and all of his books.  These movies take me to a far off place where my depression and anxiety doesn't exist.  Oftentimes, on nights where my depression is making sleep difficult I will pop in a DVD and let that take me somewhere else until I fall asleep.  

What also works to calm me is a hot bath.  I tend to mostly take baths when my fibromyalgia flares up but sometimes I take them just to decompress.  I love Dr. Teal's Pure Epsom Salt Soothe & Sleep Epsom Salt and Foaming Bath with Lavender.  The magnesium in the epsom salt helps ease the muscle aches from the fibromyalgia.  If I don't have any of either, I put a few drops of doTerra lavender oil in the bath along with some magnesium oil that I have from Ancient Minerals.  I listen to Sade on my iPhone and warm some lavender oil while I soak.  Her music always puts me in a relaxed state of mind.  This is my time to pamper and make time for myself.  When the outside world, the demands of motherhood and marriage, and the stress of chronic illness become overwhelming and overbearing, a long soothing bath helps bring me back to my center.

These things have become must haves for me.  It is very important that I have coping mechanisms that work and that do not cause more issues, such as emotional eating or spiralling into a very depressed state.  I have to consciously work to do the more productive things because I have the tendency to let the negativity overwhelm me.  Now that the weather is getting warmer I want to start walking again.  I need the exercise, fresh air, and depression busting benefits that come with being active.  As I get older and continue on this chronic pain journey, I learn new ways to cope with and manage the pain.  I stick with the tried and true and stay open to trying new things that may help, as long as I can see the benefit in it for me.