I took a break from posting this past week because of exhaustion from Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Especially Black Friday.

I work a retail job, so Black Friday and the following days were a little stressful, not to mention hard on my body. Because of this I wanted to make a quick post on how I deal with pain and fatigue from rheumatoid arthritis, especially along with having to work a bit extra during the busy holiday season.

1. Make sure to get enough sleep the night before. This one is a no-brainer, but for me it’s sometimes hard to get a good night’s rest even though it’s so important. I’ll go to bed extra early so my body has time to heal and I make sure to get a minimum of 8-9 hours of sleep every night.

2. Taking my vitamins. I’ll take a turmeric and B12 vitamin before I go into work. The turmeric helps me with inflammation and B12 helps with my energy and fatigue. If I feel like I need it I’ll also take one with iron in it.

3. Treat myself to a healthy breakfast and pack a healthy lunch. I try to eat a big, healthy breakfast before I go into work, like a smoothie or a tofu scramble loaded with veggies. For lunch I’ll throw something together from the leftovers we have. I make sure to track my nutrients for the day to check that I’m eating enough. I’ll also bring a large water bottle with me so I can drink enough water and stay hydrated.

4. Wearing compression gloves or wrist supports. I always have an extra one in my bag just in case I need it while at work. I recently bought a compression glove because my right hand was in a lot of pain, and that has made a huge difference and helps me get through the day.

5. Making my workspace comfortable and taking frequent breaks. I’m lucky to be where I work, and if I need to take breaks I can. Sometimes I just need to take a few seconds to sit down to recharge. Also, talk to your boss to make accommodations to your workspace to make it a more comfortable for you.

Those are some of the things that help me while I’m drowning from fatigue during the holiday season. Let me know what tips you guys have in the comments! ♡