Working with POTS

 I mentioned recently mentioned that I have a full-time job, which has been an immense blessing for us and our finances. We have been able to get to our goals and are enjoying life a lot more with two incomes. I understand that it is not always feasible to have a job with POTS and I know I am one of the lucky ones.

However, with POTS it is not easy to have a job, even a desk job. I had to learn some tips and tricks to make it more manageable and easier on the body. Here are some of them:

Work out when you first wake up. 

For me, if I wait until the end of the day, I will simply not have enough energy to exercise after work. I get up and do a HIT or mobility workout first thing. These are usually no longer than 30 minutes as longer than that starts to push past my limits. I drink electrolyte water while I work out and go to bed in athletic wear to set myself up for success. Obviously, if you aren’t an early bird, it might be better to do at the end of the day or as you can.

Take a colder shower. 

I used to take lobster showers—as hot as my skin could tolerate. After being diagnosed with POTS I had to give those up as they triggered a flair every time. By taking a tepid shower, I prevent overheating or getting too cold and hopefully don’t sweat a bunch when I get out of the shower.

Eat a balanced breakfast. 

I start each day with a great, salty breakfast. I find that this is the trick to having a good day. It needs to be filling and full of protein, fat, and complex carbs. This week my breakfast of choice is eggs baked in an avocado, hash browns, and a bowl of fruit. I am loving the local produce of the summer. 

Get up and walk around. 

I work at a desk all day so blood pooling could be an issue. I have been working at getting up and walking around a few minutes each hour, often hitched to another task, to prevent getting too stagnant. At lunch when it isn’t too warm I also take a short walk.

Drink electrolytes throughout the day. 

I feel like this is a given for POTS, but the trick for me is having salt all day long. I like filling my big cup with water and electrolytes and sipping that between the other drinks I bring with me. Staying hydrated could be the difference between a good day and a bad day.

Put yourself to bed early.

I am always tempted to stay up late. YouTube, my dogs, house projects, there’s always something. But I find that if.I don’t get a full night of sleep, I can cause a flair or migraine the next day. So give the gift of sleep to your future self—you will never regret it!

These are my tricks for making it through a workday. What are some of yours?

Blessings,

Jessica