Frequent Bed Rest

Two days ago, I went outside my home for 4.5 hours. I had fun at the mall and the mini zoo nearby. I gave myself a treat of americano after having only fruits and nuts in the two days out of the last three days. I rested for 1.5 hours before leaving. But then, I had a gap of 5 hours in between bed rests. The strange ache in my head and face started after 4 hours. Three hours is what I consider a threshold for a flare-up. I try my best to rest every 3 hours or so. Four hours of stretch without rest triggered a flare-up, which is still there after two days.

Managing flare-ups

Whenever I step out of home for a few hours, I have this kind of flare-up in my head and face region. I’m able to decode this in this manner now which never happened before. It feels like I have always known this but was unable to grasp it in this way. Processing anything in my brain takes time which makes it impossible to do a ton of things in life. I can’t wait for months and years to analyze something in absolute terms.

I suffered from a typical ache in my head and face region all my childhood and young adult life. Now I understand the trigger. I needed a few minutes of bed rest every two or three hours.

Bed rest helps my migraine symptoms

I take rest within three hours of waking up in the morning. I keep repeating this cycle throughout the day. This is my lifestyle and I follow it religiously. Otherwise, I get a flare-up.

A necessity for me becomes a topic of discussion for others. "This is not good. You shouldn’t sleep during the day," my well-wishers said all my life. The funny thing is that these people were the ones who would lie down whenever they felt like it, especially when speaking on the phone, watching television, or taking a nap.

I am further seen as lazy and unwilling to do anything in life. A spoiled brat who is entitled to do whatever he feels like! People have envied my lifestyle. A friend mocked them saying, "I want to meet such people who want your two dozen symptoms". I told him they wanted my life but without the symptoms. Otherwise, it won’t make sense, right?

Frequent bed rest and migraine

Bed is the place I relax the most. My alertness goes down to near zero. This helps me in dealing with a potential flare-up lurking around, waiting to pounce on its prey. My bed is heaven for me. I will go crazy without it. I have seen what happens during a massive flare-up. I snap at people. I curse everyone around me. I lose control of my mind and body totally. I become something else. I feel like shouting at anyone who encounters me. Frequent bed rest is not because I am lazy but because I don’t want to become crazy even for a moment. Oh, also who wants a flare-up in multiple symptoms? Plus, it hurts like hell. How can one be sane in such a scenario?

This frequent bed rest thing makes sure I can’t be outside the home for more than 3 hours. This is why I usually avoid traveling.

I have tried resting in a seated position. It doesn’t help. Only lying down in a migraine cave helps. My bedroom is my migraine cave as I can customize it according to my needs instantly. My bed is keeping me sane for now. I don’t know what will happen if I lose it one day. I will definitely lose my mind.

(I wrote this during the month of June 2023.)