“Bed rest and a large steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up.” JK Rowling
True, after a day’s hard work, relaxing and lazing in bed with a beverage of your choice is sheer bliss. But what happens when being on the bed is not laziness but a necessity and is prescribed by the doctor. Guess, it wouldn’t be so much fun.
People who are recuperating after a surgery or have pregnancy complications or have any medical illness or injury often have to stay in bed, to allow their bodies to heal. Bed rest for extended periods of time is no walk in the park. It can be irritating to be confined to bed and be dependent on others for simplest of tasks.
Last week, I fell down from the stairs and fractured my ankle bone. My leg is in a cast and am now confined to bed for at least 5-6 weeks. Since, both the boys go to their respective works after sorting everything at home, I stay alone for major part of the day. “You must be getting bored.” is something that everyone tells me. “No!”, is my immediate reply. I am busier than before, as I have so much to do.
They say that you should never let the things you cannot do, prevent you from doing the things you can. Here’s a list of 15 things you can do while on strict or partial bed rest and enjoy the downtime.
1. Read, Read & Read Some More
Face it – reading a book non-stop for hours is not a every day occurrence. While on bed rest, you can read to your heart’s content. Pick a book that will entertain, relax or thrill you. I couldn’t read much last month, so this is the perfect time for me to catch up on my reading goals. I just finished An American Marriage by Tayari Jones and have started reading a murder mystery, Journey Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino. I am also reading blog posts of fellow friends, news on inshorts and Q&As on Quora!
2. Scrawl, Scribble or Write
Being on bed rest gives you lots of time to think. If you’re looking to creatively vent your thoughts, emotions, plans or observations, pick up a pen and paper or let your fingers dance on the keyboard. Start a gratitude journal or write your goals for the new year or update your bullet journal. I have noted down a few topics to write and updating my blog regularly is on my agenda.
3. Binge Watch
Now is the time when you can have complete control on the TV remote. Watch your favourite shows and movies. I am watching the recorded movies and series on Tata Sky+. Have just started watching the recorded season 7 of Orange is the New Black which was aired in July this year.
4. Chill with Netflix
Grab a bowl of popcorn or ice cream and binge watch movies and series on Netflix. I have been watching some really off beat and interesting series and movies like Unbelievable, The Silence, Evening Shadows, Article 15, Soni, Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish, Margarita with a Straw, Badla etc. Of course, this will make me run out of internet data much before the month end but we will cross that bridge later.
5. Play Games
How long has it been since you’ve done a puzzle? Crosswords, Sudoku, and regular old jigsaw puzzles are all great ways to pass the time and stimulate your mind. Clearing levels of Word Cookies on my phone or playing Uno Flip with AG when he is free, keeps me engrossed and entertained.
6. Calm Your Mind and Body
Meditation increases calmness and physical relaxation, improves psychological balance, helps to cope with illness, and enhances overall health and well-being. Practicing breathing exercises or Reiki and chanting helps me relieve anxiety, stress, fatigue, general mood and helps me to sleep better too. Some light yoga does a world of good too.
7. Earn While You Rest
If you work from home then it will be business as usual for you. A part of my work profile is working from home, so there’s no break there and I am earning my bread while on the bed too. It’s also a good time to follow-up with customer care of some services which make you wait forever!!
8. Engage in Retail Therapy
Retail therapy is the real medicine and can be a great mood enhancer too. Shop online to your heart’s content or if you are a ‘sensible’ shopper like me, then just do online window shopping!
9. Fuel Your Soul with Music
A great song can lift your heart, warm the soul and make you feel good. Listen to your favorite songs and explore some new music too. After years, I have taken out my iPod and I am listening to the large collection of old classics that I have on it. It’s a great way to take my mind off things and relax too.
10. Clean and Organize Your Electronic Devices
If you have OCD to organise and clean, now is a good best time to organize the files, folders, photos, emails on your laptop and phone. Just yesterday, I took the back-up of my system on the hard drive. It took quite a few hours, but I am happy with the outcome.
11. Catch Up with Friends
Get in touch with friends or family members who you’ve been meaning to get in touch with but haven’t. Chat or call or write emails or send handwritten notes or invite some awesome friends over!
12. Get Crafty
Tap into your artistic side, and take up knitting, crocheting, or any other craft you’ve wanted to try. I am waiting for a friend to get me her crochet hook and yarn and hoping to learn this needle work technique. Fingers crossed!
13. Learn Something New
There’s a lot to explore and learn something new through online courses, tutorials, YouTube videos, podcasts. I am planning to learn a bit more about SEO for my blog in the coming days.
14. Create Stories in Your Head
A daily dose of daydreaming heals the heart, soothes the soul, and strengthens the imagination. So daydream, visualize, reflect….
15. Take Naps
When everything else fails, take a nap. There’s nothing that a good nap can’t fix! Sleep is probably the most obvious thing to do while on bed rest. And I don’t feel guilty about taking frequent naps at all hours of the day.
They say that if you stumble, make it a part of the dance. If you are confined to bed due to any reason, there is a lot you CAN do while on bed rest than you may think and enjoy the downtime.
What other things can one do while on bed rest?
Share in the comments below.
30 Responses
Sorry to hear about accident Shilpa – arrrgghhh – but your suggestions are great. Look up recipes or make up ones – make notes on this – to be tried when you’re back to hop skip and jumping recover well and rest IS best.
Superb idea to put all of these together! I had been on complete bed rest for a couple of months two years back and I can totally relate to the feeling of limitations! These are good things to do. In a way, it’s a good break from a very hectic life. And it gives us time to pause, take a breath and catch up on things we love and hobbies. That being said, so sorry to hear about your situation. Please do take care and get well really soon!!!
wow, that’s the spirit while on bed rest 🙂 I did more blogging when I was on bed rest a few years ago and completed reading all the books on my wish list.
INTERESTING POST, TO ME BED IN THE VERY EARLY MORNING IS A PLACE I HAVE BEEN GIVEN SOME AMAZING STORY BOARDS, EVEN NAMES, IT’S SOME KIND OF GIFT, GREAT POST, CHINA
Sorry to hear about the fall Shilpa. I’m sure you’re going to need this rest for now. I like the ideas you have shared and it is going to be an enjoyable rest connecting with a new side of yourself before the year ends. All the best. I’m sure you’re going to read and read and read a lot more.
Great post and fantastic ideas. When I’m laid up I practice mindfulness. Caz x
Hope your ankle is better now. Wish you a speedy recovery. I like your suggestions for doing nothing, lots of choices
Get well soon. Hope your vit D and calcium levels are fine.
You just made being on Bed Rest so very fun!
I hope your ankle is better now!
Speedy Recovery to you my friend! It is strange that this is the 6th case of falling I have heard about this month! I had one too. It is a miracle that I don’t have any fractures, but the aches and bruises lasted a while.
P.S : I do almost all of these even on normal days. I work from home too. So, all though not confined to bed, it is my favourite place to be! : -)
So sorry to hear about the ankle, Shilpa! How painful.
I’m glad you’re making an omelette with the broken eggs though. I agree that reading is great way to pass the time and catch up on all that pending reading.
OH I think learning a course is a great idea too! 😀 Good luck and get well soon.
I am sorry you fractured your ankle bone. Hope you are better now.
You broke your ankle!! That must have really really hurt. You make it sound like you’re on a grand relaxing holiday, which it might well be! Do take care.
6 weeks! Heavens! That is excruciating. How amazing are you to continue to inspire with tips to make the most of being under forced bed rest, Shilpa! All the things you listed are excellent ways to keep oneself from going crazy! And yes, as you rightly said, when you work from home, it is business as usual! But not being mobile really sucks! Please take care of yourself. Make sure you get enough actual rest. Napping is a great idea to allow the body rejuvenate. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
So sorry to hear about your fracture, Shilpa! I hope you feel better very soon. It will take time of course, but while you are resting, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of things to keep yourself occupied. Rest up as much as possible, Shilpa because this is a great opportunity to put your feet up (literally so!) and make the boys do the errands.
Take care, my friend!
Hi there! The last time I was on bed rest was the 3 days after my cesarean. That’s about 7 months ago. What i love to do is be on my phone, don’t blame me haha and watch tv!
Sorry about your ankle! Hope you recover soon! This is a great list of things to do. I love all of them, but never get the time to do most of these. Bed rest is the best time to get all these things done that you don’t normally have the chance to do.
Omg that’s terrible! Take loads of care and hope you get well soon.
I actually did all top 6 in your list while resting post birth and night time feedings. Netflix is such a blessing. Watched so many fabulous kdrama.
Sending you hugs and positive vibes.
Shilpa, you have listed all the activities that one has urge to do but can’t in the fast paced life. So when you are at bed rest utilize to the maximum. I know the binge reader in you, so must have completed tons of books back then.
You took a break a leg, literally, Shilpa? 🙂 get it fixed soon. I find it very thought to rest. I just recovered from Covid and it was so difficult. All these 15 points are significant, but the weakness was so bad that I just couldn’t do anything and simply lying in bed is like inviting the devil.
Wish for your speedy recovery. I was too bed ridden last month and tried most of them. Binge watching , writing and reading are the activitied I did most but yes did few online courses to up skill myself too.
Resting in bed everyone wishes for, but like this with pain is really tough. I wish you a speedy recovery, the idea to invest your time in such creative things is great.
I’ve never been on bed rest but I believe that it shouldn’t be boring since there’s so much we can do while being confined to one place, like you rightly pointed out. Hope you feel better soon, Shilpa! Hugs!
This is a standout post buddy because you not only teach us what to do whenwe are in bed rest but also how to use the situation in our favour
This is a superb list of activities and things that one can do while resting, Love the learning new, binge watch, etc activities, totally something that will keep us glued
I so wish if I had seen your post some 10 years back. For all my three pregnancies I had to undergo bedrest and that’s how my blog took birth also
I would love to grab an interesting book or binge watch on any of the web apps to kill my time. But the priority will be to write out my feelings. Though God forbid this never happens to anyone.
These are great options to engage on while you are at bed rest. Reading and crafts are my thingy from the list
these are awesome pointers that even work while you are breastfeeding. i would play mobile games or watch TV while breastfeeding. hahahaha. get well soon dear.
For me it’s always about reading and reading some more. I remember during my cervical spondylosis when i was put on bed rest, I use to ask all my friends to go and get me more books so I could read while resting.