Everyone hates being sick, and I’m no different than everyone else. The stages of being sick for me are always the same. Looking on the bright side, I know what’s coming, but on the not-so-bright side, I have to deal with it. My cold always starts out with me having a sore throat. Once I feel that, I do whatever it takes to either prevent the other symptoms from arising, or simply whatever will make the sickness more bearable. My sore throat always lasts only the first day and the rest of the sickness consists of a runny nose, headaches, severe coughing attacks, and just an all around tiredness of my body. Here are the things I do constantly and daily when I have a cold.
Take Vitamin C Supplements
I do this everyday, in the form of Emergen C, which is a powder you mix into water, but I also do it when I am sick. Vitamin C helps boost your immune system. I don’t actually know if it helps once you’re already sick, but I do it anyway just in case.
Take DayQuil & NyQuil
Some people I know just let their sickness happen and wait it out without taking any medicine, but I hate being sick so much that I just can’t do that. I usually take DayQuil twice during the day, and NyQuil before I go to sleep at night, in hopes it will make my symptoms less severe.
Drink Tea
I don’t like hot tea, but I keep a supply of green tea in my room for the sole purpose of having when I’m sick. While I don’t like the taste, it helps soothe my throat and it keeps me warm when I have the chills.
Drink Water
I always go through so much water when I’m sick. It’s important to stay hydrated and I definitely take that to another level when I don’t feel good. It’s like I think water will cure all of my symptoms with how much of it I drink.
Use Hand Sanitizer / Wash my Hands Frequently
I wouldn’t say I’m a huge germaphobe, but I find myself using hand sanitizer or washing my hands a lot more than usual when I’m sick. After blowing my nose, touching my face, or before using something I know others will use after me, I wash my hands.
Sleep
Sometimes it feels like the only thing that can cure you is sleep. If that means missing a class, or calling into work one day, it’s worth it. When it seems like nothing is working to make me feel better, I simply go to sleep. It’s a pretty easy thing to do since being sick makes me really tired.
Good luck to everyone during this season of sickness!