While essential tremor may not be life-threatening, it can certainly be life-changing. It’s a condition that can make even the simplest tasks, such as drinking a glass of water or writing a check, very difficult. However, you can still live a perfectly happy life while dealing with essential tremor. The following four tips can make your day-to-day a bit easier.
Take Steps to Manage Your Stress
One of the triggers that can exacerbate tremor is stress. If you’re feeling stressed out and you let it go unchecked, it’s not all that unlikely that you’ll begin to experience more frequent or more intense tremors. Thus, it’s important for you to practice stress management techniques if you hope to effectively minimize the symptoms of essential tremor.
Here are just a few examples of methods you might employ to reduce the stress levels in your life:
- Practice meditation and deep breathing exercises. Many studies have shown that meditation can reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. It’s a simple and easy (not to mention free) way to calm your mind and soothe your worries.
- Maintain a healthy work-life balance. Professional responsibilities can be a huge source of stress for some people. In many cases, they try to please their employer by working long hours and neglecting their personal life. But it’s important to take time for yourself, where you can relax and pursue your own interests.
- Exercise on a regular basis. Getting a workout in a few times a week is a great way to boost your mood while improving your physical health! Try exercising outdoors to combine the relaxing influence of nature with the mood-boosting tendencies of physical activity.
- Seek out professional help. It can be incredibly frustrating living with essential tremor. Talking to a mental health professional can help you vent your frustrations and deal with stress and other negative feelings in a productive and healthy way.
Get Plenty of Sleep
When suffering from essential tremor, it’s important to get plenty of rest. Fatigue has been known to worsen tremors. On top of that, sleep deprivation can be detrimental to your overall mental and physical health. With that in mind, you should make an effort to follow the National Sleep Foundation Guidelines, which recommend that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
However, it’s not uncommon for those diagnosed with essential tremor to have sleeping problems. If this is the case, you should talk to your doctor about potential solutions, which could include taking medication or coming up with a routine that helps you get to sleep at night.
Compile a Wardrobe That Works for You
Sometimes clothing can require fine motor skills to put on, and this poses a problem for people dealing with essential tremor. Activities like buttoning shirts and fastening tiny clasps can be a major challenge if you have essential tremor.
To avoid these tasks, try to wear clothes that are easy to put on and take off. With a little effort, you should be able to find clothing that you like that’s free of too many buttons, clasps, and clips. Look for clothes that have Velcro fasteners or button hooks, which can simplify the process of getting dressed.
Tying one’s shoes is another significant challenge that those dealing with essential tremor often find themselves facing. So, when it comes to footwear, it’s usually best to keep it simple. Avoid the hassle of tying your shoes and opt to purchase slip-on footwear or shoes with Velcro straps. This can save you a lot of trouble, and there are plenty of fashionable lace-free footwear options available out there.
Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Help
Sometimes, essential tremor can turn simple run-of-the-mill tasks into seemingly insurmountable challenges. This is especially true in severe cases of essential tremor, where exercising basic motor skills is all but impossible.
No matter the severity of your essential tremor, don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help when you need it. If you need help tying your shoe or writing something down, simply ask and most people will be happy to help. If there’s any confusion, giving an honest explanation of your condition will help to promote understanding with regard to your needs.
Don’t let essential tremor rule your life. Apply one or more of the above tips to minimize or mitigate your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
