When I'm fatigued, or have been pushing my limits, I need to recharge. This doesn't just mean doing something that isn't physically demanding. It also means making sure my brain gets to recharge too.
Watching TV can be a typical 'down time' activity, but if I watch something that is exciting or too involved, I don't recharge - my brain doesn't get the break it needs. This even applies to things like watching the rugby! Although my body might get a rest, it's not a full recharge because my stress response keeps kicking in, and the autonomic system might still get quite a workout as the fortunes of our team ebb and flow throughout the game.
And another habit I had got into is browsing social media or playing a game on my phone while watching TV during 'recharge time'. And actually it means I don't relax, and that my brain stays busy. It doesn't stop me recharging at all, but it does make recharging vastly less effective - so it takes a lot longer.
In good weather, I find that lying watching the clouds, or trees, or enjoying a view can be excellent recharging. In winter the reality is it's often screen related. But I've re-discovered my favourite 'recharge time' programs: Nature documentaries. Especially with David Attenborough - but there are several others with voices I like too. Voices that are calm, and gentle.
At 11am this morning I realised that I was having to tell myself to concentrate. This is a 'pacing flag' for me - it means I shouldn't be telling myself to concentrate, I should be allowing my body and brain to recharge. So that is what I did.
No checking my phone for half an hour while I watched 'Wild China' on BBC iplayer. Enjoying the gentle beauty of it with my eyes open or shut as I felt like it, snuggled up, plenty of cushions, head on a level with my heart to help with PoTS symptoms.
Watching TV can be a typical 'down time' activity, but if I watch something that is exciting or too involved, I don't recharge - my brain doesn't get the break it needs. This even applies to things like watching the rugby! Although my body might get a rest, it's not a full recharge because my stress response keeps kicking in, and the autonomic system might still get quite a workout as the fortunes of our team ebb and flow throughout the game.
And another habit I had got into is browsing social media or playing a game on my phone while watching TV during 'recharge time'. And actually it means I don't relax, and that my brain stays busy. It doesn't stop me recharging at all, but it does make recharging vastly less effective - so it takes a lot longer.
In good weather, I find that lying watching the clouds, or trees, or enjoying a view can be excellent recharging. In winter the reality is it's often screen related. But I've re-discovered my favourite 'recharge time' programs: Nature documentaries. Especially with David Attenborough - but there are several others with voices I like too. Voices that are calm, and gentle.
At 11am this morning I realised that I was having to tell myself to concentrate. This is a 'pacing flag' for me - it means I shouldn't be telling myself to concentrate, I should be allowing my body and brain to recharge. So that is what I did.
No checking my phone for half an hour while I watched 'Wild China' on BBC iplayer. Enjoying the gentle beauty of it with my eyes open or shut as I felt like it, snuggled up, plenty of cushions, head on a level with my heart to help with PoTS symptoms.
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| [Image description: the photographers legs curled up under a blanket, in a living room, with a laptop visible showing green foilage.] |
And sure enough, 40 minutes later I returned to work, refreshed and ready to 'brain'.