| How to Manage Chronic Pain at Work Posted: 03 Jun 2017 05:00 PM PDT Chronic pain – pain that you deal with on a day-to-day basis – doesn't go away when you have to work. Dealing with chronic pain can seem challenging, but it's important to find ways to manage your pain while working to improve your quality of life and function your best at your job.[1] Working can also improve your self-esteem and well-being and help you feel productive, important issues when living with pain.[2] Manage your chronic pain at work by having healthy work habits, choosing the right job, and working as a team with your colleagues and medical professionals. EditCultivating Healthy Work Practices - Take a break every 15 minutes to move around. Standing or sitting in one place for too long can worsen pain, so take a 1-minute break every 15 minutes or so just to stand up and move around.[3]
- If you're worried about looking unproductive, give your breaks a "purpose." Walk to the water cooler, check the fax machine, or find a reason to consult a colleague. Tell anyone who asks that taking short breaks even improves productivity!
- Use one-third of your strength. With chronic pain sometimes comes limited grip strength and motion. To keep pain at a minimum, try to use only 30% of your strength when gripping objects at work. That means use only about one-third of the strength you have in your hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders.[4]
- The same rule applies to your range of motion, i.e. how far you can move certain joints. For instance, try to bend your spine only 30% of its maximum possible bend – be careful when picking up items from the floor, or carrying objects.
- Accommodate your schedule to your physical needs. Working a Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 job may not be in your best interest, and working overtime may be out of the question. If your health is waning or your pain is worse when you're working, try cutting back your hours. Work 3-4 days a week part-time instead of giving up work altogether.[5]
- Avoid traveling for work, if possible. Sitting on a plane or in a car for long periods can exacerbate pain, as can the pressure change when you fly.
- If you have limited energy or strength, prioritize your tasks. Work on your most important tasks first and use your remaining energy for whatever's left.[6]
- Make your workspace ergonomic. Ergonomics is the science of designing products to make them efficient and comfortable for use.[7] Splurge on an ergonomic chair or computer keyboard for your workspace, and set up your desk to be as ergonomic as possible. Do not design your space so that you have to twist your body frequently – be able to sit in good posture with proper forward head posture. Setting up a comfortable workspace can greatly improve your pain at work.[8]
- Keep comfort supplies in your workplace. Learn to recognize what causes pain flare-ups for you, and have items in your workplace that alleviate your discomfort. Keep a variety of clothing around if you're sensitive to changes in temperature, and have an ice pack or heating pad available. Have your pain medication on-hand. Be as prepared for flare-ups at work as you are at home.[9]
- Take your medications to minimize pain and side effects. Learn the timing of when to take your medications. Find a way to balance any side effects from your pain medicine, such as sleepiness, with taking them to maximize pain relief. This may necessitate some trial-and-error, but once you figure out a schedule, stick to it.[10]
- Always take your medications as directed by your healthcare professional.
EditEducating Your Employer and Co-Workers - Express your limitations and your assets. It's important that you are able to collaborate with your employer to allow for your physical needs. Express your physical limitations to your employer and what you require to be productive and healthy. Be sure you also express your other assets and how your skills will compensate for whatever limitations you have.[11]
- It's important that you, and your employer, feel you are a productive, needed member of the work community. Having chronic pain doesn't have to make you less productive than others – illustrate what you bring to the table.
- Be open with your co-workers. Colleagues are more likely to be helpful and supportive if they are aware of your chronic pain issues. Rather than being embarrassed or reticent about your pain, foster trust and support by having a positive, can-do attitude about your pain and sharing that with others.[12]
- Enlist colleagues to exchange tasks, as needed. You may need to ask others to carry heavy objects for you, or allow yourself more frequent breaks to get off your feet. Try to establish collaborative relationships with co-workers and help each other out, as needed. For instance, offer to stay a little late to do a task for someone else if they're willing to do your heavy lifting for you.[13]
- Get what you need from your workplace. Ask your employer for what you need upfront – many bosses are happy to work with you if you're honest and open about your needs. If you encounter a challenging situation like a change in management, or a workplace is unwilling to work with you due to your needs, enlist help from a civil rights agency. The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination based on physical disabilities.[14]
- Try discussing your problem with the Human Resources department at your job.[15]
- If you're being discriminated against, contact the U.S. Department of Justice or call 1-800-514-0301 for help. If you live outside the United States, contact the department that regulates workers' rights.
EditWorking with Medical Professionals - Work with a pain management professional. Many people with chronic pain work with a pain management team. They can help you learn to manage your pain through medications, strengthening exercises, and lifestyle techniques. Enlist your pain management team to help you manage your chronic pain at work.[16]
- See a psychologist about your pain. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists can help you learn to manage the emotional aspects of chronic pain, which can improve your work performance and comfort in the workplace. Discuss a referral to a mental health professional with your primary care provider or pain management team.[17]
- Mental health professionals can help you learn relaxation techniques, coping skills, and ways to deal with anxiety or depression than accompany chronic pain. They can help you to challenge your assumptions and ideas about pain and learn new ways to approach your pain issues.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy may help you learn new coping techniques to deal with your pain.
- Go back to work with the help of your doctor. If you're off work for a while due to pain or injury, collaborate with your doctor on how and when to return to work. Some injuries and surgeries have specific timelines and physical limitations that need to be followed to ensure proper healing. Plan to return to work gradually, with increasing levels of activity.[18]
- Often, your doctor can provide written instructions for your employer about what your acceptable level of activity should be. Try to work as a collaborative team with your doctor and your employer.
EditChoosing the Right Job - Avoid repetitive motions. Doing the same movement over and over can worsen chronic pain and cause flare-ups. Typing is one of the most common repetitive movements in many societies. If you'll be working a job that requires a lot of typing, set aside at least 5 minutes per hour to stretch your hands and wrists.[19]
- Try to avoid getting a job in a factory or assembly line, which necessitates doing the same motion over and over.
- Do your best to vary your tasks on a regular basis.
- Choose a job that allows for movement. If you're deciding what job to do, consider your need to take rather frequent breaks to move around. Try not to choose a job that requires sitting or standing in one place for long periods of time.[20] Ask your possible employer about what the job requires and what would be expected of you if you're hired.
- Be open-minded. Just as your employer needs to be flexible to your needs, you should be flexible in choosing a job. Recognize your limitations and be creative and open-minded about how to work in your chosen field.[21] Sometimes you can work remotely (from home) to do a job, which would allow you more flexibility in your schedule.
- Encourage your employer to look into the United States Workplace Wellness Alliance, or a similar program in your country. This agency is working to improve workplace health and wellness through health promotion and wellness programs. This can be an asset to employees with, and without, chronic pain issues.[22]
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Make Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches Posted: 03 Jun 2017 09:00 AM PDT Ice cream tastes good by itself, but it tastes even better in a sandwich. If you want a small and easy ice cream sandwich, Oreo ice cream sandwiches might be just what you're looking for. These mini sandwiches make fun, enjoyable treats at events or parties, and they're easy to handle for smaller hands. You can use a variety of ice cream flavors and toppings to make all sorts of delicious versions of this dessert. EditIngredients - 15-20 Oreo cookies
- 2 scoops ice cream
- Favorite toppings (sprinkles, chocolate chips, M&Ms, gummy candies, mini marshmallows, etc.)
- Separate and place the toppings into medium-sized bowls.
- Open each Oreo cookie. Gently twist the tops off from each Oreo cookie and place it on a plate. You can scrape off the frosting from the cookie if desired, but it's best to leave it a for sweeter flavor.
- Add a tablespoon of ice cream on each cookie. Using a mini ice cream scoop, scoop a tablespoon of ice cream onto one piece of Oreo and gently press it with another. Continue until there are no more Oreo cookies.
- Roll each Oreo sandwich into the toppings. Carefully roll each sandwich into any of the desired toppings. Ensure you roll only the edges of the sandwich so it can stick to the ice cream.
- Allow the Oreo sandwiches to freeze until hardened for about 2 hours.
- Serve. Remove the Oreo ice cream sandwiches from the freezer. Enjoy!
- Feel free to be creative and use a variety of ice cream flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, cookie dough, and mint chocolate chip.
- If you prefer not to, you don't have to add and roll the sandwiches into toppings. You could keep it simple by only adding the ice cream.
EditThings You'll Need - Plate
- Mini ice cream scoop
- Medium-sized bowl
- Freezer
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| How to Sleep after Watching, Seeing, or Reading Something Scary Posted: 03 Jun 2017 01:00 AM PDT Sometimes watching a movie or TV show or reading a novel or story can be so scary that it's tough to get to sleep afterward. Sometimes you could have an even more scary experience, such as a paranormal experience, which could also make it tough to get to sleep. You're not alone in your difficulty at getting to sleep after these kinds of experiences, but you can overcome this kind of insomnia. Here are some ways to do so. EditSeek Out Distractions As You Fall Asleep - Focus on something else before sleep. Before going to bed, try to focus on something less scary—happy even. This will get your mind off whatever it is that scared you and the distraction can help you get to sleep. There are lots of ways to distract yourself to sleep. [1]
- Think of a happy memory. You may have a happy childhood memory or even a more recent memory that, if you focus on it, could help you distract yourself from whatever fear you are experiencing as a result of watching a scary movie, etc.
- Find an object in the room where you sleep to focus on. In your mind, think about how you would describe this object to another person. What is its shape? How would you describe its contours? Does it remind you of anything? What? Where did you obtain this object? From whom? Simple chains of questions like this can get you thinking about something else entirely and soon you will forget whatever scary thing was haunting you long enough to sleep.
- Listen to soothing music. Whatever kind of music you find soothing, play it softly as you attempt to drift off to sleep. Music can be helpful in getting to sleep either before or as you go to sleep.[2]
- If you associate silence with whatever scared you, concentrating on soothing music can help distract you enough to get to sleep comfortably.
- If you play a musical instrument, try to concentrate on how you might play your chosen soothing music yourself. What key is it in? What is the time signature? Again, going through these kinds of questions can distract you from your fear, and the next thing you know, you'll be waking up!
- Count sheep. It might sound silly, but the same kinds of methods you might use to fall asleep when you aren't scared might help with falling asleep when you are. Counting sheep is simply imagining sheep in your mind's eye as you try to fall asleep, and assigning a number to each one. Mental exercises like this can help you get to sleep.[3]
- You don't have to limit yourself to sheep — imagine the entire animal kingdom if it helps!
- Let your imagination give detail to the animals you imagine, sheep or otherwise. Concentrate on their fleece/fur, hooves/feet, etc. Again, you are trying to distract yourself, so the more detail you imagine, the more likely you are to stop being scared and start falling asleep.
- Concentrate on your breath. One way people who meditate enter a tranquil state is by concentrating on their breath as they breathe.[4] This can be an effective way to help you fall asleep as well.
- One way to concentrate on the breath to clear your mind of fears and fall asleep is to count breaths. Count each breath you take after you breathe out and you might be able to enter a tranquil enough state to fall asleep in spite of your fear.
- Another way to concentrate on the breath is by saying to yourself "in" and "out" as you breathe in and out. You don't have to speak out loud, but just to yourself say "in" as you breathe in, and "out" as you breathe out, and so on.
- Try other calming activities. In addition to deep breathing, activities like meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, or positive visualization can help relax you and calm your sympathetic nervous system, which is heightened due to the fear response. This is the system responsible for your flight or fight response, which can cause your heart rate to increase and cause body to release adrenaline, which will make it hard to sleep. These calming activities can help relax your sympathetic nervous system, which may help you get to sleep.
EditAdjust Your Surroundings - Leave your door open or closed — whichever makes you feel more comfortable.
- If leaving your door open lets in a little light or helps you feel less claustrophobic, for example, then leave your door open to help make your surroundings more comfortable as you try to fall asleep.
- If closing the door as you fall asleep helps you feel more secure, then leave it closed as you try to fall asleep. Anything you can do to make yourself feel comfortable and safe as you fall asleep will contribute to your ability to fall asleep after seeing a movie that scares you, etc.
- Leave a light on as you try to fall asleep. Scary themes in film, television, etc. are often associated with the dark. If you leave a light on as you try to fall asleep, you can help mitigate your fears and fall asleep more easily. Too much light while you sleep, though, can actually prove detrimental to your health,[5] so it's best not to make a habit of it.
- Leave a night light or small lamp on. This may give you reassurance without providing too much light and keeping you awake.
- A television can provide soft light as you fall asleep too, even if you mute the sound and simply leave the television on for the light it gives off.
- Find ways to self-soothe. Think about if there are any items you have or rituals that you find comforting. A lucky rabbit's foot you can rub, for instance, or a favorite blanket or stuffed animal to snuggle. Try petting your dog or cat, or hanging a dream catcher. Or maybe you find the act of making a cup of sleepy time tea and sipping it calming and comforting. Identify these self-soothing behaviors (you may need to experiment a little) and use them to help comfort and calm yourself.[6]
- If you are spiritual, you could keep something that is part of your religion nearby, such as beside the bed or under your pillow. Some items might include a rosary or crucifix, etc.
EditOccupy Your Mind - Read a book. Books have a level of detail that makes it easy to fall into their stories and tune out the world around you in addition to your own thoughts and emotions — including fear generated by something scary — and the distraction from scary thoughts is not the only benefit reading before bed offers; there are several good reasons to read before bed in general.
- Be sure the book you choose is not scary or you will defeat the book's purpose of occupying your mind.
- Choose a book that is happy, funny, or complicated enough that you will occupy your mind effectively.
- Consider a book that deals with a topic you find somewhat uninspiring—such as a school textbook or the like, as this alone might put you to sleep.
- Follow up a scary film with a comedy. Humor is a great way to occupy your mind when you are too scared to sleep. In fact, good humor, including laughter, is good for your health too.[7]
- The media you expose yourself to before sleep can affect your dreams, so watching something less scary before sleeping can keep you from having trouble sleeping in the first place.
- Even better, choose something you are familiar with already — something you have already seen, like a favorite film — to watch after something scary. This will not only interrupt the possibility of the scary media affecting your dreams and your ability to sleep, but it might be comforting to some extent as well because it is familiar.
- Try crafting. A great way to occupy your mind when you are having trouble sleeping is by crafting. The repetition that many crafts require might act as just the mind occupier you need. Some crafts include:
- Crocheting
- Knitting
- Cross-stitch
EditConvince Yourself Your Fear is Unnecessary - Remind yourself that what scared you is not real, so it could never happen to you. Thinking about whatever has scared you (whatever was depicted in the movie, book, or otherwise) in this way can be very helpful to overcoming your fear and getting to sleep.
- If the film or novel, etc. that has scared you is something that did actually happen, consider the likelihood that something this extreme could, in fact, happen to you. Chances are, it is quite unlikely that you will have a similar experience, particularly after just having been exposed to that situation in a film.
- Imagine that a character you admire is there to help you. This could be someone real or made up. For example, pretend a friendly dragon is guarding your door, ready to protect you.
- You could even make up ways to make a scary scene in a book or a film look silly or funny, so that whatever has scared you doesn't seem so scary.
- Imagine that you and an outrageous or awesome hero defeat whatever is scaring you in the most over-the-top way possible.
- Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to get whatever is scaring you out of your head, but consider this: if an author or filmmaker can make these things up, then they are just ideas. Thinking of whatever has scared you in this way might help you overcome your fear.
- Try to focus on the differences between where you are and the setting of the film or novel that has scared you. Chances are the differences are significant enough that you will be able to alleviate your fears and get to sleep.
- For example in the film Paranormal Activity, the characters' bed is right next to the door. If your bed is on the other side of the room, could you experience the same situation?
- If whatever has scared you is fictional, then chances are it won't even matter where the action takes place, because the story is made up. With this in mind, you may be able to come to the conclusion that you have nothing to fear.
EditSeek Help from Other People - Ask someone about their day. Talking to someone else about their day can distract you from your fears. If it's not too late, chat with or call a friend and say "I saw a really scary movie today, and I'm still feeling scared. Can we talk for a while? What did you do today?" Focusing on your friend can help distract, calm, and ground you. Ask your friend to talk about their lives, but to avoid scary subjects.
- Talk to someone about your fear. Talking about your fears can help alleviate them because sometimes just discussing your fears out loud can help you discover how unnecessary they are.
- Talk to a parent. You mother or father might be able to provide the comfort you need.
- Talk to a friend. Friends make up an important part of our support systems, so they may provide just the outlet you need to overcome your fears.
- Talk to your significant other. Few will be able to understand you and your fears as well as your significant other — husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc. Talking to your significant other might also help you overcome your fears.
- Sleep with someone else. You might feel more secure sleeping with someone else — a significant other, parent, friend, sibling, etc.
- If you usually sleep with someone else, such as a significant other, ask them to hug you as you sleep for a comforting sense of security.
- If you feel comfortable sleeping with a friend, this might also be helpful.
- Depending on your age, you may feel comfortable sleeping in a bed with one or both parents or a sibling to help feel secure and overcome your fear.
- Seek professional help. If you find you are getting scared easily and cannot overcome your fear even to sleep, you might consider speaking with a psychiatrist.
- Speaking with a psychiatrist does have a certain stigma, but don't be too proud — especially if you are losing sleep.
- A psychiatrist might be able to offer you medication that will calm you or help you sleep, though these medications should be neither expected nor abused.
- Try watching the "Behind the Scenes" section of the movie if available. This will reassure you that it is all pretend.
- Sleep with a pet in the room or on the bed for support.
- Don't read scary books or watch scary movies in your bedroom or wherever you plan on sleeping; doing so might associate that space with whatever was scary and make it difficult for you to sleep.
- Research films and novels ahead of time to see how scary they really are if you have a tendency to get scared by such things.
- Watch scary movies when you know you won't be sleeping alone, such as at a sleepover.
- Look away from the screen when parts of a scary film get especially scary.
- Cover your ears if something scary is happening or is about to happen, this way you can see the movie but all the scary noises are gone.
- Watch or read something very funny to get your mind off of it.
- If your surroundings are similar to that of the movie or story, such as the closet to your bedroom, leave the door open with a nightlight in it or near by it, or stuff it full so you're sure no one could fit in there.
- Remind yourself that it is all acting. It isn't real!
- If you are watching on an iPad or other device have a backup device so that you can watch something like a comedy on the other device.
- Respect other people. If you're having a sleepover and some friends wish to opt out of a scary movie, don't force them to watch.
- Never watch scary movies if you are heavily affected by scary content.
- Without proper attention to the steps mentioned above, some movies/books can have an effect that lasts weeks, even months after first seeing/reading them.
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