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living well, Personal

Living Well – Skin care for winter’s itch

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Yes, you’re reading this right. It’s before 8 am and I’m up with my first cup of coffee for the day. Mostly because I’ve been up all night again. But I made the mistake of having a nap last night. Sometime during the night, I looked down at my feet and marveled at how dirty they were. I’ve been cleaning my condo like mad. My condo is all laminate flooring and no matter how much I clean it, my feet always seem to pick up dirt. I hate socks for the most part.

This is one thing I’m looking forward to – is having carpet again when I move. There is nothing better than a freshly cleaned carpet to sink your bare feet into. Am I right? I’m also looking forward to having a proper bath. And if all goes well tomorrow, I’ll have a fitness centre too. All good things.

I decided to take some time and really wash my feet. Like scrub between the toes. Got the toenails done. I forgot how good that feels. I’m not a feet person. I hate looking at feet. I hate touching feet. Even my own. But there’s nothing quite as satisfying as giving yourself a food and toe massage, and then lathering your dry winter skin with some aloe vera skin cream.

For me, I notice that the end of winter usually brings dry and itchy skin. We had a very dry winter this year with very little snow. This climate can be harsh on all skin types. And so, I’ve learned a few tricks that I’ll share with you on how to keep your skin healthy, moisturized and also how to fix cracked heels.

What causes dry and itchy skin?

Dermatitis is usually the culprit behind dry and itchy skin. But there can be other causes too like exposure to harsh cleaning chemicals, allergic reactions, changes in diet (rare), dehydration and of course, winter itch. This is common in places like Alberta that suffer with long and cold winters.

Winter itch can hit anyone, at any age with any skin type. I have sensitive and pale skin – it often turns red this time of year. If I neglect or get lazy with my skin care, then my skin becomes super flaky and itchy, very fast. Some people develop bumps or spots or even a pink or reddish rash.

Hard water can also cause your skin to become dry and itchy.

Where does winter itch strike?

More commonly, winter itch can affect the feet, legs, hands and arms. The degree in which it affects people depends on multiple factors from other health conditions, skin problems, aging or being overweight. Hormonal imbalances can also wreck havoc on your skin.

What can I do for winter itch and dry skin?

The good news is there are lots of great home remedies that can be used to help combat the icky feeling of dry skin. I know my skin often looks like leather when really cold or dry.

I have a few products that I go to for all my skin care needs. The combination of a really good facial wash, body hygiene (regular showers or baths) and skin lotion usually is enough for me.

The most important thing you can do for your skin is to practice good hygiene. I’ve been slacking in this area since being at home. I’ll shower every other day instead of every day like when I was working. I’m trying to get back into the habit of getting up in the morning, showering and having some kind of normal routine. This is so crucial for problematic skin.

The other thing is to eat a healthy and well balanced diet, avoid foods high in sugar or cut back on caffeine and pop. Reduce your alcohol consumption. Wine for example is terrible for people with Rosacea.

Stay hydrated! Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses or cups of water each day. Not only is this great for the skin, but it can help to leave you feeling full longer after your meals, and can aid in weight loss.

Home Remedies

CeraVe Facial Wash or lotion

I love CeraVe products. The facial wash helps to keep my Rosacea at bay and leaves my skin feeling so soft after use. I found that leaving the bottle of facial wash in the shower helped to remind me to use it daily. I use it for my face, neck and chest area – and even behind the ears. Follow up with an application of either CeraVe skin lotion or something like Aloe Vera lotion will really help reduce symptoms of winter itch.

I swear by Nivea products. It’s what I use daily on my face. I use the Aloe Vera Refreshing Nivea Cream for my skin and it really lives up to its name. My mum used Nivea too – so it’s a trusted brand in our family.

I cannot recommend Aloe Vera based products enough. It comes from a natural plant that has been used for healing various ailments for thousands of years. There is also a great Vaseline Aloe Vera skin lotion too.

Vaseline

This is an old trick my mom used to make us do for our feet. I remember my brother had a heck of a time with cracked heels. Use good old fashioned vaseline on your feet. Rub a generous amount on your skin before bedtime. Really rub it in. Give yourself a bit of a massage. Of course this feels better after a good soak in the tub. Then take a pair of cotton socks and wrap up your feet for the night. Do this for a few days and the itching should subside.

The key to skincare is repetition – and getting into a daily routine.

Oatmeal

When I was younger, I used oatmeal mixes on my face for my acne but it also made a huge mess and dried out my skin. Apparently, colloidal oatmeal has known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can help with itchy skin. You can buy the ground powder and it to your bath – or you can purchase a lotion with oatmeal in it.

Baking Soda

Not only will soaking in a bath with baking soda in it will help clean your bathroom – but it can also help to reduce inflammation in your skin. Baking soda is a natural ingredient without harsh chemicals and can be a great remedy for winter itch.

Skin Treatments

About once a year, I have to visit my doctor for a prescription for my skin. I don’t get breakouts often anymore, maybe twice a year now. The meds help with that. If you’ve tried various home remedies without relief, then I suggest a trip to your doctor. The issue may not be winter’s itch at all – it could be another form of dermatitis or something else all together.

One thing I used to do when I had the money, was go for a massage every spring. It was a steam massage that used sea salts for exfoliating the skin. I can’t tell how you amazing this made me feel. Exfoliation is a great way to help remove dead skin cells which can also contribute to the irritating itch.

You can easily do this treatment at home by using a sea salt scrub and applying it to your body. Let it sit on the skin for 10-15 minutes before climbing into a hot bath. If you’re lucky enough to have a steam room – then try it in the steam room. It will help to open your pores like they’ve never been opened before.

I think I’ve convinced myself to book one of these as soon as personal services are available!

Are you a dry skin sufferer? What do you do for your winter’s itch? Let me know in the comments!

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Social media detoxing – all you need is love

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Tonight while binge watching season two of Sex and the City, I hopped onto Facebook to see what was happening. Someone from my old office made the announcement that she was leaving the site to focus on her family. And while the thought of not seeing her adorable baby photos, I have to admit – I totally understand the decision. I sent her a private message and wished her well – encouraging her to continue posting baby photos on Instagram.

Some of my favorite people in the world don’t use social media at all. Like Keanu Reeves. It may be why I like him so much. There’s a bit of a mystery to him.

People ask me all the time how I can stand to be on Facebook with all the politics and the drama as of late. To be completely honest, the answer is simple. I just ignore it. It’s that easy.

The only reason I still use Facebook is to keep in touch with friends and family that I don’t see often in person. Like my cousins in Denmark and older friends who are afraid to go out while the beer bug is still happening around the globe.

I have a love-loathe-hate relationship with Facebook. I love it for the marketplace as I often check to see what kind of home rentals are on the market. I also picked up my last piano from there. But every third post is an advertisement of something I was thinking of buying and it feels so intrusive.

When it comes to Facebook games and apps – I just don’t use them. And as for anyone posting extreme political views (as in overly aggressive, threatening or hate remarks) – I just unfriend them or unfollow them and limit my interaction with them.

There are those friends that you can have a serious and intellectual discussion with while respecting each other’s viewpoints. And then there are those who are toxic influences who want nothing more than to tell you that you are a horrible and bigoted person for your beliefs.

Like recently someone asked me if I had canceled my Netflix account yet and I said… to their dismay: Hell no. Why would I? This time next week the cancel culture will forget why they even canceled their accounts and will move onto something else.

Social Media Detox

When I left my job to go on health leave, I removed all of my colleagues from my friend’s list and took a long break from posting or interacting with people. It felt good. It helped me heal from the anxiety from being ill, and it kind of served as a proverbial “detoxing” of my life.

I removed all those people who no longer served a purpose in my life. Anyone who caused unnecessary stress or drama – instantly removed. And it was a HUGE relief.

Over time, I slowly started adding those people I could trust and my friend Jo was one of them. The list of trusted colleagues is very small. But I can openly discuss this now — but that’s a story for another day. I’m “in between jobs” at the moment.

When it comes to social media, I think we all spend a little too much time online. If it weren’t for this blog and my music, I probably wouldn’t use social media as much as I do. Twitter is a disgusting and vile place to be sometimes with today’s cancel culture. But at the same time, I’ve met some pretty awesome local artists that I have a lot in common with. It’s fun to share stories of our city and experiences. I also get a lot of my news from Twitter.

Instagram is a place where I share pictures of food and the occasional selfie. Those are rare these days as there’s nothing exciting going on at home. I use Instagram mainly to stalk my favorite musicians and celebrities. I unfollow anyone who is overly political or that I don’t see eye to eye with. Why? It’s just less drama.

Plus…. I love these videos and collaborations with Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. Who wouldn’t? Both are absolute dreamboats.

Talk about things you love

Even when it comes to using sites like Reddit – I’ve learned to avoid politically charged discussions, sticking to my favorite television show subs like Sex and the City or Xfiles. I love giving advice to new cooks and discussing food, music and all the fun things in life.

And when it comes to WordPress, I’m a terrible reader. I mostly just stalk the website to see what my stats are for the day and compare to other days to see if I need to change up my posting schedule. Which I do often. Did you know Mondays are my most popular days? Well, you do know that now!

Youtube. What can I say about youtube. I love this site for learning new cooking skills, recipes and even technical stuff. I have a few channels I watch daily about celebrity or Hollywood gossip like the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard lawsuits.

Youtube is one of those places where you can easily get lost down the rabbit hole. You start off watching a vegetable casserole cooking video and five hours later find yourself watching an old interview with Joe Rogan and Elon Musk. Or you stumble across Ryan’s youtube channel and see him insulting Josh Brolin.

Don’t argue with the trolls – they want you to react.

Do I have a point with this post? I don’t know. Maybe I’m just rambling and sending thoughts out to the universe again.

I think people get too personal and too involved when it comes to politically charged discussions on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Even I’m at fault for letting trolls get the better of me from time to time.

It’s good every now and then to just remove yourself from the toxic environment. Take a break. Unfollow those who no longer serve a purpose in your life. Are you getting into daily arguments with someone you haven’t seen in twenty years and have no interest in meeting for coffee? Then let it go! Move on. Trust me. There are better things you can do be doing with your time.

Every now and then I go through my friend’s list and “purge” them. My Facebook friend’s list is at a whopping 120 friends. Instagram is even less at 102 friends. Youtube is at 60 on my music channel.

For me, it’s not a popularity contest. I don’t need thousands of friends online. I don’t need to spend my time arguing with people I’m never going to meet. And I don’t need to get into heated debates about something I have absolutely no control over like politics or taxes.

Moving On – Letting Go

What I will continue to do – is gush over adorable baby photos. Share some of my best creations in the kitchen and on the piano. And maybe leave the odd comment like “way to go” or “that’s awesome” to spread some positive vibes out into the universe.

Because at the end of the day – isn’t that what we all could use a little more of? A little love? A little positive reinforcement? A little encouragement? A little note saying, “hey, I know we haven’t seen each other in a while, but I’m thinking of you,” just to let that person know they mean something to you.

So, next time you find yourself arguing with a random person on the internet – take a step back. Take a break. Don’t let the internet or social media control your life. You’re better than that.

And if you need even more positive encouragement in this messed up world. Here’s a message from The Beatles.

If you enjoyed this little rant, then sign up for more! I rant about all kinds of things from love, relationships, sex, food and more!

living well, Personal

Living Well: Skin care and treatments for adult acne

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For those of you who have followed my blog for a while, you know that I live with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome which is a disease that affects hormones. What also happens with PCOS, is living as an adult in my forties with acne. Sometimes I look like an overgrown teenager with skin problems.

And I hate it.

As a teenager, I never had skin issues. It wasn’t until later in life when I started experiencing hormonal issues, that I really started experiencing adult acne. When you’re a professional trying to work in a professional office setting – people often stared at me when I had bad breakouts. I often wonder if it was a reason why I didn’t move as far as I wanted to in my career at the time.

Over the years, my doctor and I have tried all kinds of creams and medications. I even saw a few dermatologists. One thought I had a good case of Rosacea. While another doctor, didn’t think it was Rosacea, but thought it was something wrong with my blood vessels. Which kind of made sense, since I also have Factor V Leiden.

Yes, I’m a complex patient – even though my doctor doesn’t think so. That’s just because she’s treated me for so long.

Because we also have winter eight months of the year, our air can get so dry in winter months that it really wrecks havoc on our skin.

As you can imagine, the cost of skin products can add up over time. I’m always looking for natural products to use and have found some success with Aloe Vera based creams and a good face wash. That said, when breakouts are bad, I have to take Minocycline which is an antibiotic for fungal infections. It seems to get rid of the acne – and the great thing is, usually keeps the acne away for six months to a year.

So, today’s post is going to be dedicated to skin care and products I’ve found to be helpful for keeping my acne breakouts at bay.

NOTE: this is not a paid sponsorship – but hey, Cerave or Nivea, feel free to reach out!

Cera Ve

Face Wash – budget friendly

It was my family physician who recommend this brand to me and I have used it for a couple of years now. It feels great and refreshing on my skin too – especially after a long day.

I started using the face wash in the shower in the mornings and at night time as well about a month ago. I can already feel the difference in my skin.

I’ve also combined this treatment with Omega 3 – fish pills – and it’s a great combination for dry or acne prone skin.

You can pick this up at just about any pharmacy, or order from Amazon. Cera Ve also makes face creams and lotions.

Nivea Skin Cream

Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturizing Cream - 25ml | London Drugs

A soft and soothing hydrating lotion

My mum introduced me to Nivea creams when I was a child. She used it for things like rashes, dry skin or sunburns. As an adult, I started using Nivea Soft cream which felt less greasy on my skin.

I wear this product daily – apply once in the morning and before applying foundation, which is the only makeup I apply to my skin.

A 200 mL container usually lasts me about two months and you can buy it at any pharmacy or visit Amazon.

Aloe Vera Lotion

NIVEA Aloe Vera Body Lotion, 16.9 OZ (with Photos, Prices & Reviews) - CVS Pharmacy

A natural product that comes in many forms to help hydrate your skin.

Aloe Vera is another great natural plant that is used for medicinal purposes. You can buy many aloe vera based products from oils, creams, gels and even in beverage form.

I switched to the Aloe Vera Nivea Soft cream for body lotion and it feels amazing on my skin. The first time I put the lotion on my legs, I breathed a sigh of relief. It felt like I had just stepped in the shower.

You can buy these bottles from any pharmacy – or on Amazon. One bottle will last me several months.

Tea Tree Oil

Nature's Bounty Tea Tree Oil | Walmart Canada

A natural remedy for dry and acne prone skin

Tea Tree Oil, in combination with Coconut Oil or Olive Oil, can make for a great product to help combat acne.

This Oil is also known as melaleuca oil, and is an essential oil that comes from steaming leaves of Australian tea trees. It is believed that the tea tree oil is antibacterial and can help fight fungal infections. It is often used to treat acne, athlete’s foot and other skin problems.

The oil should never be used on its own as it can burn skin. It is suggested to mix a few drops of the oil in with a base like coconut oil or olive oil.

If you already have oily skin, you may want to avoid this treatment. Tea tree oil should not be taken orally. There are a number of options to purchase. I recently tried this brand which you can get on Amazon.

Honeywell Humidifier

Review: Honeywell MistMate Cool Mist Humidifier - Today's Parent

A quiet humidifier to help keep your skin hydrated

I love this humidifier. I bought it in the fall when I was struggling badly with allergies. What I noticed after a few nights of use was how great my skin was starting to feel.

Even the bags under my eyes were starting to lighten up and I felt better overall.

A humidifier is an easy solution if you’re living in an extremely dry home or live in a dry climate province like Alberta.

It’s important to keep this machine clean as fungus and bacterias can get trapped inside the machine. I have this model and have not had any issues with it. It’s also very quiet.

I should take my own advice and clean this machine out and use it again.

Trial and Error

So, if you’re like me and you have acne prone skin, I hope that at least one of these products may help you. Winter is coming fast and I’m cringing already at the thought of how the weather affects my skin. I’ve stocked up on my daily vitamins and skin care products – and hope to beat the acne breakouts this year.

My doctor and I tried so many products over the years for my acne breakouts. I’ve finally found something that really works. And hope it continues working!

Sometimes the only thing that works for bad breakouts, is prescription medicine. I tried a gel during the summer that actually burned my skin. It did nothing for the acne spots. I turned to my pharmacist and she sent me a month supply of Minocycline, and my skin is back to normal – thankfully!

Also, I will add – that a healthy diet, regular exercise, natural vitamin D (sunshine) – and drinking plenty of water – will help improve your skin health.

What is your daily skin care regime? Let me know in the comments!

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living well, Personal

Living Well: how to cope with chronic insomnia

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If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I suffer from a few chronic conditions – one of those conditions is chronic insomnia. Insomnia is something I’ve lived with for more than thirty years. There’s nothing worse than feeling tired and wanting to sleep – but not being able to sleep at all once you hit the sack.

In this article, I’ll share some tips I learned on living with insomnia and how you can rest better.

Before we get into how to treat chronic insomnia – let’s go over the basics of what it is.

Three Common Bedtime Habits Destroying Your Sleep | by Nick Wignall | Elemental

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of people around the world each year. Your body may feel tired but the moment you lie down, you start to toss and turn. Your mind just won’t let you rest. Not getting enough sleep can severely impact your life – you might have mood swings, you might feel lethargic and move slowly during the day, or worse – you could seriously hurt yourself in an accident at work or while driving.

Insomnia can last for days. If you have chronic insomnia, it can last for weeks or even months. My longest spell with insomnia was over two months. I also had sleep paralysis during this time.

Symptoms of Insomnia

  • Feeling tired but not being able to sleep when you lie down
  • Feeling anxious or stressed out about daily life – and not getting enough sleep
  • Mood swings, depression, living in a state of confusion or “brain fog”
  • Waking up several times during the night or waking up too early and not feeling rested

If you wake up during the night and are unable to breathe or feel like you are choking – you may want to get tested for sleep apnea which is a condition that can cause weight gain and breathing problems.

Causes of insomnia

For me, insomnia comes and goes. Staying up too late or sleeping in one day or even having a nap can throw off my sleep schedule. Drinking caffeine too late in the day – coffee – can make it hard to sleep. Or working out too late in the evening might be the culprit. But the number one cause for my insomnia is – anxiety.

  • Stress or anxiety
  • Change in work schedule or traveling often for work
  • Poor sleeping habits and sleep hygiene
  • Eating too much late in the day or drinking coffee past a certain time
  • Hormonal shifts or conditions like menopause
  • Aging can cause you lose sleep as you get up to go to the bathroom more

My father used to sleep like a log until about five or six in the morning. When he started showing signs of Parkinsons, he started getting up three or four times during the night.

Some medications can cause insomnia like GERD, Parkinsons and Alzheimers, asthma, diabetes, cancer, restless leg syndrome or living with chronic pain.

Preventing insomnia

Take it from me, getting out of an insomnia funk can be difficult. My worst spell with insomnia happened in 2013-2014 when I fell ill. I went through all the tests you can imagine and everything was coming back normal. The moment I would lay down, my body would go into spasms or cramps and it prevented me from sleeping. The longest stretch that I went through was 100 hours without sleep – at all.

Finally, after getting five weeks of iron infusions to help with the cramping – I managed to grab some sleep. I had tried everything – even sleeping pills – and nothing was working. Things were so bad that I attended a sleep clinic before going back to work. Here are some things I learned on how to manage my insomnia.

Regular sleep schedule

This is crucial. Going to be around the same time and getting up in the morning around the same time is important to help naturally regulate your body and get your “internal clock” working again. I’m working on this now – I can’t seem to get up earlier than 9 am and going back to work is going to be such a shock. Avoiding naps is important too – I’ve managed to get through the day without a nap for several weeks now.

No caffeine past noon

If I drink coffee later in the day – than it may impact my sleep. I’ll have one or two cups of coffee in the morning and won’t drink it for the rest of the day. If I do get the caffeine craving later in the day, I’ll try and get a latte with skim milk. Or you could switch to decaf.

A Massive New Study of 347,077 People Just Revealed Exactly How Much Coffee You Should Drink Each Day. (Before the Health Dangers Outweigh the Benefits) | Inc.com

Regular exercise

Daily exercise helps me to sleep better at night time. The best sleep I ever had was after an aquafit class. Or after a steam massage with a salt scrub. My skin also felt amazing – I’m actually do for one any day now.

The 10 Most Important Yoga Poses for Beginners | DOYOU

Sunshine and Vitamin D

Getting some sunshine and natural vitamin D not only will help with your mental health but it can also help improve your sleep. If you live in a place like Alberta where we have such short winter days, I recommend getting a SAD light or talking to your doctor about taking vitamin D supplements.

Because of my history, I take two vitamin D3 gummies in the morning. My condo has large windows that lets in a lot of natural light and it can feel like I’m outside. I know going for a long walk or a hike in the wilderness can help me rest well.

How Little Doses of Sunlight Help the Body

Meal Spacing

As many of you know, I practice intermittent fasting to help lose weight. While weight loss progress is slow going, eating between certain times can help you sleep at better at night. I now eat between 11:00 am and 8:00 pm at night. Sometimes it’s 12:00 and 8:00 or 11:00 and 7:00 pm. But never past 8:00 pm at night time. This way I am never going to bed on a full stomach.

Eating healthy foods and staying hydrated can also help!

Healthy Food Doesn't Have to Be Expensive: How to Eat Well on a Budget | AHU Online

Sleep hygiene

Practicing good sleep hygiene is an important part of sleep well. Some people take baths or showers at night to help unwind after a long work day. My nightly ritual is to listen to some relaxing music before bed. Wash my face and neck. Make sure the bed is neat and sheets are tucked in. If my room is messy – I have to pick up things off the floor or take them off the bed – or that distracts me from sleeping.

Brushing my teeth, brushing my hair and even what I wear can impact my sleep. Sometimes a fan or white noise can also help block out other noises that may be happening.

I love my blackout curtains as well. These really help in the summer time when the sun is out early in the morning – way earlier than I need to get up.

20 Pretty Girls' Bedroom Designs | Home Design Lover

Meditation

Some people swear that meditation or yoga can help them sleep better. For me – I might listen to some Native American flute music or yoga music to help clear thoughts from my mind. Add in a cup of sleepy time tea and this can really help you catch some z’s. Check out my meditation page for some youtube suggestions.

10 Things We Know About the Science of Meditation - Mindful

No screen time!

Get off your computers and put your phone away for the night. Keep the phone on a nighttable and close the cover so you can’t see messages come in. If you need to, turn the phone on silent. Turn off notifications from social media sites that might otherwise keep you up.

If you’re using meditation music, lie down and close your eyes in your bed while listening to the music. Turn off all the lights and your phone.

If you’re a reader, you can try reading a book to help tire out your mind.

Therapy

If anxiety is affecting your sleep, you may want to consider therapy to get to the bottom of what’s causing your anxiety. Sometimes things are out of our control – as I’m learning – and you may need more help.

Talk to your doctor about medications that can help ease your anxiety or help you sleep. Melatonin is a natural supplement that can work to regulate your sleep schedule naturally. However, it doesn’t work for everyone. If you’ve tried Melatonin and all the remedies I suggested above – then you may need medical intervention to stop your insomnia.

I am seeing my doctor later today and will be asking for a little “help” for my insomnia. I don’t ask for medications often and she knows this. She may have some new ideas that can help me out. If she does, I’ll report back here.

There may be a medical condition that is causing you to toss and turn during the night – if so, then I highly recommend that you go for some labwork and routine tests with your doctor to rule things out.

Do you suffer from insomnia? What tricks have you learned to help you sleep at night time? Let me know in the comments!

Living Well Series

Personal

Self-care goals: how to unwind after a bad day.

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This is a repost. I think it’s good information to share every now and then. You can also read my post on The Art of Self-Care.

Just a short post today. It’s been a lousy few days. Tired. Stressed. And contemplating when things started heading south. Last month – things were amazing. But the past two weeks, since I got bronchitis, it seems like my whole world has come crashing down. And I’m not sure how to pull myself out of this funk.

So, I thought I’d share some tips on how I survive bad days like today – when it seems like the entire world is crashing around you all at once. Ever feel like you’re drowning and you can’t get out of the water? Yeah, that’s where we are today. I’ve sunken to a new low.

But then I’ll wake up tomorrow and it will be a new day. I’ll feel rested. And it will be a new day.

How do I cope on days like this? The routine isn’t all that complicated really. It’s pretty easy. Even you can do this.

Adult, Bath, Bathtub, Blur, Indoors, Leisure

Coping tips for really, really, bad days.

Make a nice hot cooked meal like my mum used to make.

It reminds me of her. There’s just something about the taste of a roast beef soaked in gravy, a side of roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes. Really. Nothing makes me feel like “home” more than this.

Watch animals and babies do funny things on YouTube

Watch dogs and cats doing silly things. Find funny videos of babies laughing. Laughing really is the best medicine. Also, watching people falling – video compilations. I shouldn’t love these as much as I do. But they really perk you up. Or maybe I’m just sadistic that way.

Reach out to a friend in need

Call a friend and chat with someone who is also going through a difficult time. Misery loves company. But sometimes you just need to vent to someone who understands. I did this when I got home. Had a good chat with a colleague and I feel a little better now. I’m not the only one going through a rough patch. We’ve all been there.

Find comfort – hot bath, soak in a hot tub or steam room

Having a warm bath with epsom salts really does work wonders on stress. Dim the lights. Bring out the candles. Lower yourself into the tub. Lean back with a water pillow. Put a facecloth over your eyes. And just relax. Block the rest of the world out. You deserve this.

Pour yourself a hot up herbal tea or a warm cup of cocoa

Polish the night off with a hot cup of Chamomile or Lemon tea. Chamomile is a herb that helps you wind down. It can also help you sleep. Fun fact – you can also use cool Chamomile tea for for a skin rinse. Not a tea drinker? No problem. A warm cup of cocoa can help. Add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg to top it off. A few marshmallow if you’re not on a diet – to sweeten the deal.

Shut the world out -with music

Sit back in your reclining or rocker chair. Your couch or bed will suffice. Grab your noise canceling headphones. Turn on your favorite movie. Close your eyes. Let the soothing sounds of an acoustic guitar or dreamy instrumentals take you to another world.

Tell me, what do you on when you have a bad day? How do you cope?

For me – it’s always going to be music. And on that note – I hear my bed calling my name.