Tag: mental-health

Week 48 of 2024

~ joannerambling ~ 5 Comments

 I had a great night, slept straight through, got up and had my shower and got dressed for the day.

Another hot day here had to turn the air con on around 2pm.

Kathy came over for a visit she was on her own, I asked her to change the sheets on my bed before she left which was much quicker than if I did it on my own.

I am not in a very happy mood today, don’t know why.

It is 11.20pm, I went to bed at 8.30 pretty much straight to sleep for an hour, when I had to pee, back to bed a back to sleep till 10.25 when I had to pee again had trouble get back to sleep then at 11.10, I had to pee again when I went back to bed the uncontrollable moving start so after 10 minutes I got up to use the powerfit and will sit up for half an hour before returning to bed and hopefully to sleep.

Steps: 10,209

I had a not so good night; I am starting this at 12.10am.

After returning to bed, I settled down and slept for 2hrs before needing to pee again, then back to sleep for another 1.5hrs till the alarm went off.

It is 18 degrees and my BGL is 5.0

I turned the air con on at 11.15am, when the temp reached 27 degrees.

I am so exhausted this afternoon; I am also drenched in sweat.

Steps: 8,488

A good night sleep went to bed at 8.30 and slept through till the alarm went off.

It is 18 degrees and my BGL is 5.0

Another very hot day with a top temp of 32 degrees.

Tasha was supposed to go to the shops for me but she didn’t so I asked Sue if she could take me down the road tomorrow, she said she would.

Tim is stressing out over how his diabetes is going to affect his driving authority. I told him worrying about it will not achieve anything and may make things worse.

Steps: 8,254

I slept well, Tim was already up when I got up, he said he had been up since unable to sleep.

Around 6am we had no water, it returned around 7.30am. it was 21 degrees at 6am and my BGL was 5.1.

Sue arrived just after 8am to take me to the shops, she said that Tasha rang her at 6.30 asking if she could go to Sue’s place for a shower before Sue drove4 her into the Tafe. Sue said she could.

By the time we had finished shopping and went back to the car it was stinking hot, we had been at the shops about an hour. I realised after I got home that I forgot to go to the post office, oh well I will do it later.

My walker isn’t the best with one wonky wheel that makes me worry it will come off and I will end up either falling over or becoming stuck while walking to and from the post box to post my letters off. So Tim suggested I swap to the old one that is out the back after some thought I agreed so Tim went and got it and it needed hosing off and there was a red back spider in the compartment under the seat. I suggested we swap the seat and the compartment under it around which is what we did. So, I will see how things go.

Steps: 7,156

Slept straight through the night again, woke up feeling heavy headed but that will pass, it is currently 22degrees and my BGL was 4.9

It was raining when I went up with Sam to meet the transport, but I had my red rain poncho on so all ok. It is very humid, and I had to turn the air con on as I was dripping in sweat while hanging the washing on the clothes hoists to dry. It is now 9.30am and 27 degrees.

By around 10.30 I was able to turn the air con off, but I left the doors closed and curtain drawn which kept the house cool enough.

This afternoon I was cleaning the sliding glass doors so I can put my Christmas decorations on them and slipped my thongs on to walk outside. However, as I have a habit of not always picking my feet up when I walk, I stumbled twice in them and once due to my feet being so sweaty so three times in all. So, when I went to meet Sam, I put on some thin stocking socks and walked up shoeless, thus being much more stable.

Steps: 6,761

Slept straight through the night again, woke up feeling heavy headed but that will pass, it is currently 22degrees and my BGL was 4.9

It is a lovely cool morning, I, slept all, I got up once to pee but straight back to sleep.

At 5.30am it was 20 degrees and my BGL was 4.8.

The top temp was only 24 degrees, but it has been a very humid day.

I had just ironed Tim’s work shirts and was just sitting at the computer when I started to feel off, I tested my blood it was 3.2. So, I got up and walked into the kitchen for food, I hadn’t had lunch yet. I quickly realised I was not right; I don’t know how long I stood in the kitchen just not with it. I walked back into the lounge room and picked up the phone and just looked at it for a bit before I rang Tasha. She came straight down and dished up my fruit I was having for lunch, topped up my drink watched me eat a bit. When I started to look better, she left. I was fine after I ate.

I even managed to put Christmas decorations on the sliding

doors.

Steps:8,246

Insomnia Help List

~ joannerambling ~ 4 Comments

Ok here were with that list of things that are supposed to help with insomnia, how many of then actually help I do not know

Create a sleep-friendly bedroom: Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. You can use curtains, blinds, an eye mask, or ear plugs. Yes, I sleep in such a room

Stick to a sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Yes, I do that as well

Avoid electronics before bed: The light from TVs and smartphones can disrupt your sleep cycle. Yep, do this too

Exercise regularly: Try to get at least 5 to 6 hours of physical activity during the day. No bloody way I am that active during the day

Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol: These substances can make it harder to sleep. Can’t say I do this, but I don’t have a lot of caffeine

Avoid naps: Naps, especially in the afternoon, can make it harder to fall asleep at night. I get this but sometimes I am so tired I have to close my eyes for a bit 

Relax before bed: Try reading a book, listening to music, or taking a bath. Nope don’t do any of these things

Manage stress: Try writing down your worries before bed. I generally just hand my worries over to God when I go to bed

Check your medications: Some medications can contribute to insomnia. I am on top of this, and not an issue with me

Try relaxation techniques: Try meditation, imagery, or muscle relaxation. Yeah, I often meditate when going to bed 

Use magnesium: Magnesium can help muscles relax and relieve stress. I do take magnesium

Try massage: You can try self-massage or have a partner or friend give you a massage. Nope never tried this 

Get out of bed if you can’t sleep: If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something non-stimulating until you feel drowsy. Yes, I do this as well

Ok how many of these tips do you do?

Week 45 of 2024

~ joannerambling ~ 3 Comments

Had a good night, Tim came to bed at around 4am I remember him saying he had only been home an hour, that was a long day.

It is supposed to be 29 degrees today at the moment it is 16 degrees and my BGL was 4.8

Kathy and family arrived around midday, Tasha had asked Michael if he could come and put the new TV on the wall for her.

Sue sent me a message asking who the two girls on the calendar for November she thought they were her granddaughters and yes, they are but it was upsetting that she had to ask.

Steps:8,885

Had a good night once I settled down and slept till the alarm went off, a warm start to the day has both front and back doors opened. It is 23 degrees and my BGL is 5.0 at 6am

It is the type of morning that makes one want to stay in bed, but of course I am up showered, dressed and doing stuff. It isn’t warm nor is it cold but if shut the doors I will get hot but with them open I feel a chill.

I walked down and posted some letters off just before Sam arrived home, not long after returning home it started to rain and there was some thunder. It didn’t rain for much and only a little thunder.

Steps: 6,642

Had an early night last night was in bed by 8.30pm got up once to pee and straight back to sleep till the alarm went off. I woke feeling unwell

It is 19 degrees and my BL was 5.0

No school for Sam today due to a doctor’s appointment.

It has been a cool day, I have not felt good all day, I ache all over and just feel unwell.

It is 6.30pm and I am ready for bed but will try and stay awake till 8.30pm.

Steps: 8,486

Had an early night last night was in bed by 8.30pm slept straight through to the alarm went at 5am.

It is 19 degrees at 6am and my BGL is 4.8. I am feeling great this morning and so happy that I am able to do stuff this morning.

A nice day morning but a bloody hot arvo. I turned the air con on around 12.30.

I walked up to meet Sam, and the heat drained me and left me exhausted.

Steps:8,882

I overslept this morning didn’t hear the alarm, turned out I l left my phone in the lounge-room. I woke up when Tim was getting up. So, it was only 15 minutes after my get out of bed I, slept all night.

I am dressed in shorts and have both front and back sliding doors open, it is a nice 20 degrees and my BGL was 5.0.

The temp reached 32 degrees, when it was time to go meet Sam it started pissing down, I was pleased when Jess rang and said she would go meet Sam. She called in sick due to a really bad headache.

Steps: 8,257

Another good night don’t remember getting up at all, it’s wet outside but not raining at this time. It is 17 degrees and is supposed to get as high as 29 degrees. My BGL was 4.8

By 8.30 it was 22 degrees

The calendars came for next year they are A3 size so much bigger than this years but that is good this year is too small for my liking.

I got my Christmas cards out and over the next week or so will make a start on them.

I am having a restless night.

Steps:12,542

After six good nights, I had a rotten night, I got only between 1 and 1.5hrs of sleep, I didn’t even dose I was awake. I got up a couple of times, I used the powerfit which helped settled the movement part down. When I was in bed there wasn’t much tossing and turning, mostly I just laid there at 4.30am I needed to pee, so I got up and stayed up. I had a shower and shaved my legs, applied moisturiser to my legs, arms, chest and face. It is 19 degrees and my BGL was 4.7

I was not good when we went to the shops around 1pm I had a 1hr nap and felt better after that.

By 6pm though I started to feel not the best again.

Steps:6,367

Insomnia

~ joannerambling ~ 4 Comments

This week I thought we would take a look at something I am thankfully I don’t suffer from, although there have been times when I felt like I do suffer from it. The condition is insomnia.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep, even when you have the time and environment to sleep well. It can cause you to wake up too early or not feel refreshed when you wake up. Insomnia can affect your mood, energy levels, and daily activities. 

Insomnia can be caused by stress, physical ailments, mental health problems, or poor sleep habits. 

It can affect people of all ages, but teens may be especially susceptible.

In most cases it is related to poor sleeping habits, depression, anxiety, lack of exercise, chronic illness or certain medication.

Symptoms may include difficulty falling or staying asleep and not feeling well-rested.

Treatment for insomnia consists of improving sleep habits, behaviour therapy and identifying and treating underlying causes. Sleeping pills may also be used but should be monitored for side effects.

It seems that more women than men have insomnia in the United States, more than one in four women experience insomnia, compared with fewer than one in five men. 

Also, a study found that women of all ages reported worse sleep quality than men. 

Women are twice as likely to have insomnia than men. 

This may be due to hormonal changes that women have during menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause can cause or contribute to sleep difficulties. There are also physical symptoms that many women deal with during these times such as cramps or night sweats, that disrupt sleep. 

Caffeine can cause insomnia, especially if consumed in large amounts or close to bedtime, a study found that 400 mg of caffeine taken up to 6 hours before bed can significantly disrupt sleep, reducing it by more than an hour. 

Caffeine can disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to get quality sleep. 

People with chronic insomnia may use caffeine to cope with daytime sleep deprivation, which can worsen insomnia at night. 

The exact effects of caffeine depend on the dose and an individual’s sensitivity. 

To minimize the risk of insomnia, it’s generally recommended to avoid caffeine in the hours before bed. People who regularly drink caffeine may be able to tolerate it better than those who don’t. 

Next week I will post the list of things that so called experts suggest to help with insomnia.

Dystonia or Dyskinesia

~ joannerambling ~ 8 Comments

There are two conditions that are associated with Parkinson’s Dyskinesia and Dystonia, I am not sure which of the I suffer from.

Dyskinesia is the involuntary movement of a body part or the entire body that you can’t control.

Dystonia is the involuntary stiffening or contraction of a muscle.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between the two, but dyskinesia more often looks like jerky movements of an arm, leg, or face.

The symptoms of dystonia are as follows:

Involuntary and rapid blinking that you can’t stop.

A sudden tightening or turning of the neck to one side, particularly when you’re feeling fatigued or stressed.

Difficulty speaking.

A tremor in your voice.

Symptoms that worsen with tiredness, stress, or lots of physical activity.

Dyskinesia can involve one body part, such as an arm or leg, or the entire body. The symptoms are as follows:

Fidgeting, writhing or wriggling

Head bobbing or body swaying.

It tends to occur most often during times when other Parkinson’s symptoms, such as tremor, slowness and stiffness, are well controlled.

Both conditions are made worse with stress, so when the uncontrollable movements start I try to take my mind off it by focusing on something, also I find using the powerfit helps why it helps I do not know but it does.

Week 43 of 2024

~ joannerambling ~ 3 Comments

Had a good night although when the alarm went off, I didn’t want to get up, but I did and after a wash and getting dress, I felt the same way nothing had changed.

It is currently 17 degrees and raining, my BGL was 5.5

At 7.30am the internet dropped out but after a while it was ok, and I managed to do the grocery shopping.

Tim is working this morning he should be home around 1pm

I am so very tired that even though it is only 7.45pm I am off to bed.

Steps: 5,830

Had a good night, even though I was in bed early I slept all through the night.

The temp is 16 degrees and my BGL is 4.8

I have had a decent morning did a load of washing and hung it out to dry, ran the dishwasher and unpacked it, vacuumed of course. I also wrote a couple of letters and did some blogging.

Both Sue and Tasha got me stamps

It has been a cool day the temp got up to 20 degrees.

It is 8.30pm and I am done, falling asleep so off to bed I go.

Steps: 7,108

Had a good night, woke once but settled back down pretty quick. It is only 14 degrees this morning and my BGL was 4.9

After a cool morning it warmed up nicely and around 9.30am I changed into shorts.

I felt like I did stuff this morning, like folding the clean clothes and putting them away, vacuuming, taking rubbish out to the bin, blogging and writing letters.

I am not as tired this evening so it

Steps:6,094

Had a good night, didn’t wake at all and was dreaming when the alarm went off, I wonder if that has anything to do with me having a headache and feeling heavy headed.

It, is 12 degrees and my BGL was 5.0

I finished answering the letters I had here and walked down and posted them myself. Haven’t done that in years.

Tim will be home later than usual he arrived home at 7.40pm.

Steps: 7,383

Had a good night, didn’t wake at all and was dreaming when the alarm went off, I wonder if that has anything to do with me having a headache and feeling heavy headed. This morning is a repeat of yesterday morning.

The temp is 17 degrees and my BGL is 5.0, I was reading that there is something called the dawn phenomenon which is when between the hours of 3 and 8am when someone’s blood glucose level rises why this happens, I don’t know and neither do the so-called experts.

A warm day it started to rain around 3.30pm

Tim later home again around 7.15pm, he is off tomorrow and Saturday but is working Sunday

Steps:6,781                   

Had a good night, didn’t wake at all, I do like those type of nights.

Tim is off today, so I was able to take my time in the shower this morning, which I liked.

It is 12 degrees and my BGL 4.9

Tim and I went to the shops; to pick up scrips and we have reached our safety net, which brings down our medication from $31.60 to $7

after that Tim went to a doctor’s appointment with the diabetes doctor.

Then at 4.15pm he had an appointment with our GP

Steps:7,159

Had a good night, woke only once and went straight back to sleep. It is 13 degrees and my BGL is 4.7

Tim is up at 7am which is early for him

Tim and I went for lunch at the Eastern Tiger all you can eat place with my sisters Sue & Jeannie and my brother Dave and his wife Leigh and their daughter Liarna as well as Dave’s son Dawson.  It was a good outing I enjoyed my self and there was a lot of laughing.

When I was getting ready to go, I realised I have only two decent tops and neither of them went with the skirt I was wearing.

We realised this afternoon that Tasha was driving an unregistered car, she was thinking it was due next month, we have paid the CTP but she still needs to get her rego check done.

Steps:7,082

Visual Snow Syndrome

~ joannerambling ~ 5 Comments

Hi all today we are having a look at something called Visual snow syndrome. This isn’t something I had heard off until recently. My grandchild Sam was telling me about it as apparently Sam has this.

Visual snow syndrome is an uncommon neurological condition in which the primary symptom is that affected individuals see persistent flickering white, black, transparent, or coloured dots across the whole visual field. Other common symptoms are palinopsia, enhanced entoptic phenomena, photophobia, and tension headaches.

It can also be referred to as Persistent positive visual phenomenon, visual static or aeropsia.

The cause seems to remain unclear, but it is believed to be due to a problem with how your brain processes visual images. The flickering tiny dots associated with the condition are typically black and white, but they can be flashing, colored, or even transparent.

It is not a disease that will just go away on its own. The visual disturbances are unlikely to just get better without treatment, which typically involves medications. The most regularly used medications for visual snow syndrome are antiepileptic and antidepressant medications.

Over time the condition may worsen and could become debilitating to the suffer at some point, although not a mental health condition over time someone with the condition may experience depression.

For many people, visual snow syndrome is a chronic condition, thankfully they will not go blind due to it. However, many suffers may also have migraines and anxiety.

People with visual snow may experience all or only a few symptoms, including light sensitivity and tinnitus. These symptoms range in severity from mild to debilitating. Living with this condition is a different experience for everyone.

Sam being young thought for a long time that they way he saw things was just the normal way and is for the large part kind of use to it.

Symptoms commonly appear during the late teenage years and early adulthood. In one study the mean age of onset of symptoms was 21 years old but it can occur at any age, in either gender, or in any race.

Wellness Test Results

~ joannerambling ~ 3 Comments

I recently did a wellness questionnaire which can be found here: https://ezpzwellness.org/

These are the results.             

Personalized Recommendations

Physical Health: 48.0/100

Recommendations:

  • Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily
  • Improve your sleep hygiene by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule
  • Focus on a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables

Mental Health: 72.0/100

Recommendations:

  • Increase your mindfulness practice to 15-20 minutes daily
  • Try journaling to process your thoughts and emotions
  • Learn a new skill or hobby to keep your mind engaged

Emotional Health: 80.0/100

Recommendations:

  • Continue nurturing your emotional well-being
  • Share your emotional management strategies with others
  • Explore ways to give back to your community

Social Health: 40.0/100

Recommendations:

  • Make an effort to connect with friends or family at least once a week
  • Join a club or group related to your interests
  • Practice active listening in your conversations

Nutrition: 44.0/100

Recommendations:

  • Increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables
  • Reduce consumption of processed and fast foods
  • Stay hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of water daily

Sleep: 52.0/100

Recommendations:

  • Optimize your sleep environment (e.g., comfortable mattress, dark room)
  • Try relaxation techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation
  • Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime

Stress Management: 72.0/100

Recommendations:

  • Learn and practice time management techniques
  • Try stress-reducing activities like yoga or tai chi
  • Set realistic goals and break large tasks into smaller, manageable steps

Epileptic Seizures

~ joannerambling ~ 3 Comments

Hello everyone, today I am going to tell you about the four main types of epilepsy seizures.

Starting with the type of seizure most people thing of when they think of an epileptic seizure.

This seizure is now called a Generalised tonic-clonic seizure, it was once known as a grand mal seizure and are the most recognised.

The seizure starts with a sudden loss of consciousness. The person’s body then becomes stiff, followed by jerking of the muscles. They also may turn red or blue, bite their tongue and lose control of their bladder.

When they regain consciousness the suffered may be confused, drowsy or agitated, it is not uncommon for them to not remember what happened and have a headache.

Next, we have absence seizures, these are the type of seizure my nephew Dawson suffers from. They used to be known as petit mal seizures they usually start in childhood but can happen in adults as well. They are brief and involve staring, loss of expression, unresponsiveness and stopping activity. Sometimes eye blinking or upward eye movements are seen. The person usually recovers straight away and continues their previous activity, without remembering the seizure.

There is also something called focal seizures, previously known as ‘partial seizures’, these start in one area of the brain and affect the parts of the body controlled by that area of the brain. The seizure may involve unusual movements, feelings, sensations, or behaviours. People can have different levels of consciousness during focal seizures.

Lastly there are febrile convulsions are seizures are associated with an illness causing a fever, such as a viral infection. They are generally harmless and do not require special or long-term treatment. Febrile convulsions are common, happening in about 3 in 100 healthy children up to 6 years old.

If they don’t have any additional risk factors for epilepsy, children who have febrile convulsions have a similar risk of developing epilepsy to the rest of the population.

Sometimes people with epilepsy may have changes in their behaviour. They also may have symptoms of psychosis.

Most people with epilepsy tend to have the same type of seizure each time. Symptoms are usually similar from episode to episode.

Some people with focal seizures have warning signs in the moments before a seizure begins. These warning signs are known as aura.

Warning signs might include a feeling in the stomach. Or they might include emotions such as fear. Some people might feel deja vu. Auras also might be a taste or a smell. They might even be visual, such as a steady or flashing light, a colour, or a shape. Some people may experience dizziness and loss of balance. And some people may see things that aren’t there, known as hallucinations.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND A NEW POST HERE:https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2024/10/nuts-hodgepodge.html


Epilepsy

~ joannerambling ~ 3 Comments

This week I am going to share a little about the condition Epilepsy, my nephew Dawson has this condition.

Epilepsy happens as a result of abnormal electrical brain activity, also known as a seizure, kind of like an electrical storm inside the head. And because the brain controls so much, a lot of different things can go wrong. Suffers may have periods of unusual behaviours, feelings and sometimes loss of awareness.

Epilepsy may occur as a result of a genetic disorder or an acquired brain injury, such as a trauma or stroke. Other brain related causes are things like meningitis, encephalitis or a brain abscess. Then there are brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s. It is also believed that alcohol or drug use as well as high or low blood sugar levels.

In fact, in around half of all cases the cause is unknown. It may take years after an injury for seizures to develop.

During a seizure, a person experiences abnormal behaviour, symptoms and sensations, sometimes including loss of consciousness caused by fainting. It isn’t uncommon to see the suffers having rhythmic muscle contractions or muscle spasms. Some people say they experience an aura or the sensation of pins and needles.

Also common: seizures, amnesia, anxiety, depression, headache, sleepiness, staring spells, or temporary paralysis after a seizure.

After a seizure the person may feel really tired.

Most people have none or only a few symptoms between seizures.

Epilepsy is usually treated by medication and in some cases by surgery, devices or dietary changes.

You should see a doctor this is your first seizure, or you have repeated seizures, you have seizures more often than is normal for you, you are not sure if you’ve had a seizure or if you have a diagnosis of epilepsy but feel like your medicine is not helping.

You should seek medical attention after a seizure if you are injured, if you are pregnant or have diabetes.

Next week I will post about the different types of seizures.