Advice and Helpful Tips

6.5 Getting sick.

Most likely, we've all gotten sick at some point in our lives. It takes all the energy out of us, we lose our appetite, it's cold, it's uncomfortable... it's never fun to be sick, and we always want to heal as soon as possible. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to get better faster, and we've made a list of them!

The most important thing you can do is resting. Take time off from work or school, sleep a lot, stay in bed. Sleeping allows your body to take a break from everything else so it can focus on healing your sickness. If you can't sleep, you can pass time by reading or watching a TV show, for example. Generally, anything that you can do while laying down or sitting is a good way to spend time while you're sick.

The next important thing is staying warm. Get in comfortable clothes, grab a blanket or two, maybe make some coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Staying warm helps to lower the fever that often comes with a cold.

Hygiene is always important, especially when you're sick. Wash your hands often to avoid spreading germs, use tissue paper, and of course shower as you usually would. And because hot things are good for you, if you've got the energy for it, taking a hot shower or even a bath can make you feel way better!

Even though it's common to lose your appetite when getting ill, eating properly is still very important. Make sure to get enough vitamins so that your body can heal with them. And even if you don't feel like it, please at least try to eat a few times every day. Drinking plenty of water is important too.

Now you may be wondering, when should you take medication for an illness? Well, it depends. If you feel like you need medicine, it's okay to take some. But oftentimes, common colds don't really require medicine either, so it's fine if you don't feel like taking any.

However, if you've had a cold for a really long time, or for example a headache is keeping you from sleeping, or some other symptom is really bothering you, taking some kind of fever- or pain-reducing medication is probably a good idea. But it's all up to you.

Also, do keep in mind that prescribed medicines should be taken according to instructions at all times.

So, at what point do you need to see a doctor? If you've been sick for a long time, the symptoms are getting worse, or there's something else that's worrying you. If you're not sure, you can call a doctor first to ask if your symptoms are normal. Especially during the coronavirus pandemic, calling a doctor first is better than showing up right away. You should also call a doctor if you've got a fever that's over 103°F or 39.4°C. That is generally considered the limit for a very high fever.

One more thing that's really important, especially during the pandemic, is keeping other people safe. If you're sick, you should stay at home as much as possible, get someone else to buy groceries for you, use hand sanitizer and wear a mask if you absolutely need to go somewhere and follow all the other rules and recommendations in your area.

We hope that these tips will help you stay safe and healthy, both during the pandemic as well as after it!

Sources:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/common-cold/
https://www.healthline.com/health/influenza/what-to-do-first-sign#When-to-see-a-doctor
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/treatment/takingcare.htm
https://share.upmc.com/2016/10/fever-treatment-guidelines/