Miserable Downtime

I've been battling a virus the last four days. It seems that just as my energy levels and my mood stabilises for a few weeks - something decides it's time to ruin the party.  I think that 'something' is my immune system not able to cope.

I tried to keep up the pace for the first day of my illness, but the constant running nose and eyes and throbbing sinuses made it impossible. Not even the sinus maxi-clear meds have made much difference.

Yesterday I rested in bed most of the day and that seems to have made a good difference.  I woke in the night with stomach cramps and aching bones, but my sinuses seem to be easing and I'm slowly getting back to feeling like tackling my backlog of work and the housework.

I really don't have time to be unwell. I am a Contactor in my work, so I don't get sick days and the workload does not let up. Housework is much the same - it doesn't magically disappear, it just compounds until you are completely overwhelmed.

Getting sick might be the body's way of trying to slow you down, but all it really seems to do is create more stress and pressure.  Being sick plain sucks. It makes me want to work harder to build up my immune system to avoid these illnesses.

I need to look more into what I can do to keep the bugs at bay and avoid days of miserable downtime. I'd like my downtime to be a holiday or time with the family. Life is too short to be sick!

Going to War...

My neck has been under attack the past few weeks. The hot, humid weather has caused an increase in acne and the infection seems to be getting worse by the day.

By 38, you'd think that I'd be well and truly over acne :-(  It is a condition I have struggled with since puberty and have had numerous treatments for- including roacutane in my early 20's, with limited success.  

I am resisting going to see my GP, because I know that they will prescribe antibiotics. As much as I want to shift the infection quickly, I'm very reluctant to take antibiotics for anything less than a serious infection - I like to fight my own  battles!

So how do I shift this problem? Well, experience has taught me I need to make sure I keep the affected areas clean and clear of makeup if possible. I'm using cleansing wipes, tying my hair back from my neck and using a peroxide based cream.  I'm also trying to stay hydrated, eat well and get good sleep to help heal my body.

My morning smoothies have been packed with fresh blueberries and I've started adding in chia seeds for a punch of omega 6. I'm also occasionally enjoying coconut water and avocado for their health benefits as well as taste and texture.

So far the acne infection has stopped spreading, but,  I'm yet to start winning the battle.  It's frustrating and I'm over having to deal with it, but I'm hanging in there and I'm not about to give up without a fight.

Once the temperatures drop and I'm not sweating so much all the time, that will help turn the tables - until then it's a matter of sticking to the plan and hoping for the best.

24 Times Restless

Ever wonder why you wake up feeling more tired than you were before you went to bed?

This is my sleep log for last night. Which is self explanatory. I woke up with two small children in the bed and clearly the impact was a disrupted nights sleep.

The rest of the week has had its ups and downs too. I haven't successfully managed 8 hours sleep yet, but I'm clearly not an insomniac and I'm pretty happy with the results.

Wednesday was my best night, no kids in the bed and I got to sleep at a reasonable hour.  I've also looked at the rest of my data on heart rate / calorie burn for Tuesday (which sets me up for my Wednesday sleep) and there is an indication of some periods of increased activity and calorie burn compared with other days.

It will be interesting to see if there is a pattern after another week of data. There probably isn't quite enough info yet to tell.

I am hoping for a better nights sleep tonight. I may have to tie the kids to their bed or find a way to block off our bedroom door but, it would be nice to have some decent unbroken sleep. 

Quote for the Week