How to make your morning with chronic pain easier

One of the most difficult parts is the morning when I have to get up and get ready despite my chronic pain. I often tell my husband I have enough energy to go somewhere, but I don’t have enough energy to get myself ready to go. It’s just too hard to shower, get dressed, do my hair and makeup, etc. When I’m really not feeling well, getting ready can seem like an insurmountable task. So here are a few of my favorite tips:

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Showering with chronic pain

Showering is probably the #1 task that I dread, it just takes so much energy. However, there are ways to make it easier.

1. Shower the night before

If you know you have to be somewhere don’t wait until the morning of to take a shower. Do it the night before so that you can recoup some of that energy overnight.

2. Use a shower chair

The dream is to have a bench in the shower (well that’s my dream anyway), but if you don’t have one you can easily use a shower chair.  It’s surprising how much easier it is to shower when you can do it sitting down. It causes less pain and exhaustion just being able to take it easy while you’re showering.

3. Taking a bath may be a better option

For those whose pain levels make it hard for water to hit their skin, taking a bath may cause less pain. I find baths more exhausting for some reason, but I love to take them when I don’t have anywhere I need to be.

Wearing pain friendly clothing

Getting dressed is another barrier to getting ready to go out. If I’m staying home I generally sit around in loose skirts or leggings.  Here’s some things I like to keep in mind when I get dressed:

1. Wear loose clothing

I’ve written about my love for loose clothing before, but I’ve discovered some new things since then. Loose dresses are my new favorite thing because it’s often too hot where I live for leggings. Dresses are breathable and they don’t press against my skin causing pain.

2. Wear stretchy clothing

For those who need warmer clothing fleece lined leggings are the most comfortable invention yet. I’ll never wear tight uncomfortable jeans again.

3. Find comfortable shoes

Shoes are so important when it comes to managing chronic pain. The wrong shoe can make your whole body hurt, and the right shoe can allow you to walk a lot further than you thought you could. I’ve written about the importance of comfortable shoes before, but I have a few new favorites since then. Since I live in sandals these are the ones I always put on because they arch to fit my foot. I would recommend buying shoes to fit your arch, they’re always easier to walk on.

Doing hair and makeup

1. Hair

Hair and makeup are the big kicker for me when it comes to getting ready. I have curly unmanageable hair that I used to always straighten. I don’t have the energy for that anymore, so more often than not my hair goes in a ponytail. However, I do have a few things I can’t live without:

• Dry shampoo– Since washing my hair doesn’t always happen
• Invisibobble– When I’m in pain, it’s not exactly helpful to have a hairband tear the hair out of my head
• Wet brush– This is new to me, I’ve lived for years without one and I don’t know how I did. I don’t always brush my hair (because it’s curly), but this is perfect for when I want to straighten it.

2. Makeup

Makeup is basically my nemesis these days. I like to wear it, but my hands are so shaky putting it on can be iffy. One thing I will say that helped is having a good mirror. Mostly I just try to simplify my routine with a little foundation, lip gloss, and mascara. I asked my readers what tips they had for makeup and I received some excellent answers:

• use makeup with no applicator to hold
• put it on sitting down
• just use a little foundation with sunscreen
• use tinted moisturizer or BB cream
• eyeliner stamps are great for shaky hands
• focus on a 5-minute face
• focus on the basics

What tips do you have to ease your grooming routine?