subject: How Not To Overdo It In Five Easy Steps, By: Irene S. Roth [print this page] There is nothing harder for an arthritis sufferer than learning how not to overdo it. This is especially the case if we have just been newly diagnosed with the disease. Most of us have done a LOT during a day during our lifetimes. Then arthritis hit and we can no longer do as much. And some of us got hit with the disease at an early age. If we are such a person, we should not fret but instead become proactive and take steps to make our lives better. Help is on the way.
We may feel that we cant measure up to the person we were before our diagnosis. We may want to do more than we can do before we start feeling pain and discomfort. But it is wise not to overdo it. In fact, overdoing it can make us feel a lot more pain and stress, especially if were in the habit of overdoing it all the time.
The main problem with overdoing it all the time is that our body and disease process will be negatively impacted over time. Our joints will become more damaged and there will be more pain and disability. So, it is essential to pace ourselves at all times and not overdo it. Further, when we keep overdoing it, we stress ourselves out so much that the negative emotions will cause even more pain.
Here are 5 easy tips to follow in order not to overdo it.
1. Listen to the body. Pain is a signal to the body that something is wrong. If we have pain when we start an activity, we should stop right away and take a break. We may resume the activity later or refrain from doing the activity any more, depending on how we feel.
2. Dont do too much, especially if experiencing pain. Most arthritis sufferers just keep going, even if theyre in pain. This is usually wrong and can cause further pain and difficulty. Instead, we should use pain as a barometer. If we have pain, it is best not to do whatever makes us hurt even more.
3. Do the most essential things first. Arthritis sufferers dont have a lot of energy, and get tired quickly. Thus, to avoid additional stress, do the most important things first. Then if we have the energy, we could do things that are not as important if we have the energy to do so. But if we dont have the energy, thats okay. We should allow ourselves to rest.
4. Dont waste time doing superfluous things. In other words, we should not fill our day with activity. When we finish our most important things for the day, we should take a break. If we feel better later, we could do one or two more things. But if we feel tired and in pain, we should take a break for the day and resume our activity the next day.
5. Take rest breaks during the day. It is very important for arthritis sufferers to take frequent breaks during the day. For instance, if we work in a sedentary position all day, we should take stretch breaks and exercise breaks. We should take our tea or coffee breaks away from our computer or desk to feel completely refreshed.
By following these tips, we will be taking steps not to overdo it. And who knows, we may even be able to do more with less pain if we learn how to pace ourselves, one step at a time.
