Week 9 of 52 small changes

[OddSocksHighHeels]

The aim is to carve out half an hour of alone time each day.

Build it into your schedule - possibly by getting up half an hour earlier or going to bed half an hour later without sacrificing sleep. If that isn't possible then look at other opportunities you have in the day - the book suggests taking your lunch break from work alone or, if you're a SAHM, then get somebody to babysit for an hour for you everyday. Because that's easy if you're a single parent but alone time while kids are in bed should be easier!

Switch off your phone, laptop and TV at 8pm (I'm not going to do this!) and don't have them on for an hour or so after waking.

It gives examples of things you might want to do during the time you've set aside: going to the gym, taking a walk, reading, being outside in nature, taking a class, listening to music, going to the theatre or a concert or going to a museum, taking on a project around the home (maybe building that shed that none of us did in week 3?), organising your wardrobe or going to get a massage/facial/manicure/pedicure.

I'm actually pretty good at this already though I might try to get some new stuff in there too that I don't normally do. But I think I'll try to re-focus on getting better sleep for the most part.

Reminders of the previous weeks: drinking more water, getting more sleep, getting routine activity into the day, keeping a food diary, being more positive, taking a multivitamin, having a germ-free buffer zone and eating 4-6 portions of veg each day.

A link to last week: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2570652-Week-8-of-52-Small-Changes?pg=1&order=

I have to say dp is pretty supportive and keeps telling me I should see someone. I will sort a nurse's appt and go from there. The problem will be I won't be able to have hrt, I don't think as I can't have oestrogen.

I am sleeping 7hrs, most nights but I was managing more, so I think I need to try to get to bed earlier. I will also redo the Headspace sleep pack that I did a year ago, to make myself focus on it more.

Water and activity good, lots of veg: chicken with avocado and artichokes for lunch, will do sausage stew with loads of veg for dinner. Taking vits and logging food on mfp. I haven't managed 1/2hr as I have had dd2 at home for 48hrs following being sick (fine once she was home...). I have managed 15mins Headspace, so that will have to do.

I've done really well with veg. today. Had minestrone soup for lunch with extra leftover veg. and no bread!

About a pint of veg. juice and green beans tonight with the steak and chips.

Multivit is here to stay, but still rubbish on the water and activity.

Lots of positive stuff going on so easy to be optimistic at the moment.

(((OddSocks)))

Glad that your DP is supportive quirky that makes all the difference.

I've been doing a variety of bedtimes for no particular reason and I just don't need more than about 6 hours.

Might be interesting to see if that changes if I step up the activity.

Hope you're ok Odd

That's great your dp is supportive quirky. Never thought of not being able to take hrt in regards to if you're allowed oestrogen, that's a bugger.
I was only allowed progesterone due to having pre-eclampsia with dc1 and a bp that goes sky high once a doctor takes out the cuff. Took me to wear a 24 trace for them to believe me it was anxiety 'white coat syndrome' and by that stage I gave up on the hormones. One of the plus sides of being single, you don't have to worry about pregnancy Hope your dd is feeling better now.

Pretty blah week. I've not been great with the water and keep forgetting my multiv Vegetables not great, eating a bit every day but not what I should. Have been eating some fruit too, all is not lost if I ignore the sugar intake.

Sleep has been good though, probably as a result of hitting the gym quite a bit this week. Ticks off activity too. Final push before I start to slow down in prep for my half marathon. Am at the bored of training so much and can't wait until it's over stage now!

Positivity ok-ish.

Have been forgoing the Netflix watching in favour of my kindle every night so alone time is ticked off, if reading while dd sleeps beside me counts as alone. About as alone as it gets in this house :) Maybe another reason I'm sleeping better, not watching stuff right before trying to get to sleep?

Sirona I also had pre-eclampsia after dd1 followed by a dvt. I definitely have white coat syndrome, too! I had to track my bp for a week at home to show it was normal. "Just relax" doesn't work, I associate the bp machine with stress, after a high reading following a week of battling for dd2's statement. I felt the nurse thought I was making excuses. Er no, I was highly stressed and so high bp was to be expected in those circumstances, surely.

Dd2 is fine, thank you. Mystery vomiting at school and then nothing since... I think she either had a mild stomach bug or the cold air had made her cough and then be sick (she's asthmatic).

Positivity ok here, but it's been a busy week. Dd2 had music this morning and has a party tomorrow. Dd1 is busy doing homework and we have started a Friday film night, dd2 not up to sitting and a whole watching film and it gives us some time together too. We're working our way through LOTR after the Hobbit.

Well, mindfulness works:)
I've been shredding in the mornings and then half an hour of mindfulness, it's actually made a tremendous difference. I've been dealt a couple of blows, the type that takes the wind out of you and makes you want to throw up there and then. I focused on my breathing, I was very calm in analysing the situation and then just accepted it. A few times I was shaking with anxiety but I breathed that down a treat.
I was nice to myself today, spent it on kindle, exercise, nice food.

I've been on meds for high blood pressure for about 20 years, so I don't want anyone to misinterpret me as being flippant.

I've had various home monitors, and I've found that readings vary dependent on whether my eyes are shut, and whether the cuff is on left arm or right arm.

I also found I could affect the reading if I focussed on something red or something blue, eyes closed or open.

Good game, and quite good for perspective.

Oh, I do the white coat syndrome too! I had HELLP syndrome with DS (hence him being born 9 weeks early) and I dreaded that machine... It took ages to return to normal. But yes I discovered so many variables in the reading (is red higher, bewitched?). It's one reason I try to eat low carb, to help regulate, as I am apparently now susceptible to high bp generally. I'm sure all the water and sleep etc is going to be helping too!

Sorry you are have a tough time, all.

Does anyone know what week ten is? I'm setting up my habit tracker tonight and want to check what I need to track

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0717nwy

Women's hour this week on 'me time' I found it helped as I was struggling with the quality of my alone time - what counts, what I do with the time etc. I get the time but I think that I mentally need to see it as time that I can have some control over rather than just filling it with 'have to' tasks. Not sure that makes sense - the podcast is with a listen so I hope the link works.

Yes I had me time today and it was training for something. So not relaxing spa day but something I wanted.

Hang on IC I have a sample downloaded and will look.

It says "take time to stretch". I can't see the chapter, though!

I know Oddsocks is not in a place to keep these threads going ( Oddsocks). It is such an inspiration from her though that it would be lovely to keep it up, and she can take over again when she feels ready? I'm happy to start the threads if people want.

That would be lovely Diva. It would be great to keep this open and running. Odds we are here when you need us.

week 10 is here

DrDiva I find low carbing helps, after dd2 I lost the baby weight and my bp was good. I'm hoping that the meditation and yoga will also help. There is a family history of high bp so worth trying anything!

Bewitched I get better results with my right arm.

Off to check out the new thread.

That sounds brilliant Allguns, exactly the sort of thing these threads are about, doing little things regularly and suddenly realising what a difference they've made.

Thanks DrDiva

quirky left arm, eyes closed, think blue sky!