Do you get up and get out?

It's getting more difficult now but I make a point of being up before 8 am no matter what. It's slow progress but I like to have breakfast, shower or wash, dress and have my face on before 9.
I try to go out most days because I get depressed if I stay in too much.
I'm not doing too badly for 87, hopefully.

how about going out without showering.
Just to break the cycle of ennui.
Or lack of energy or motivation.
Showering is not essential.
Whereas dressing is.
To some extent.
Just to walk around the block.
Assuming you don't live in the middle of nowhere.
Avoid ruts.
Do anything. Almost. Just move.
Good luck.
.

Do you think you might just need a rest, with some peaceful, unplanned time for yourself? If your energy level is low at the moment and you have aches and pains, maybe it's better to take a bit of time out each day, if you can, and go easy on yourself.
There are some good alternatives to coffee if you think you're drinking too much. If your mood is low, can you get out to the park for a gentle stroll or have a wander in the garden each morning? I care for a family member full time and work part-time, but when I can get out, even for a short break, it really helps.
My parents weren't ones for complaining about tiredness either. They always seemed busy and productive but they wouldn't have prioritised their mental health.

I could very easily fall into slothful habits but I make sure I have something to get up for: Monday, Tuesday and Friday: gym then coffee with friends, Wednesday: walk/jog then coffee with a friend, Saturday: cycle and coffee with my cycle group and Sunday: jog or swim. Probably too much coffee but I could easily sink into depression without exercise, fresh air and friends. I find the process of just getting up, having a shower and putting on make up helps if I am feeling a bit down. I am 76 and have been on my own for 15 years, retired for 10.

I am evidently a slob. Don’t like getting up until late, don’t get to bed until late. I know, I know, a vicious circle!

Primrose can you get some help or at least some respite care for your DH? It must be very hard

53

I’m a night owl and years of performing at night and ‘recovering’ in the morning means I find it hard to go to bed early, but definitely feel the benefit when I do.

I try to arrange appointments for the morning so I have no choice but to get going and I shower last thing at night. Can’t face it in the morning.
I too have regular fixtures through the week to work my days around. Without them, I would laze about and I hate being indoors all of the time.
Primrose23💐

Take heart

Allira

I'm an owl so I'm not really wanting to go to bed yet. no-one sedms to be posting on this thread any more, apart from me, so perhaps you've all gone to bed ready for an early start!

My mother used to say that the sleep before midnight does you the most good but I think that was just to get me to go to bed and stay there. 🙂
I will go soon, but then read.

My mum used to say one hour before midnight is better than two hours after. But I've never been able to get to sleep early, even in winter. Especially as, before catchup tv, BBC4 didn't start till late anyway.

I used to do as I pleased. Either up, showered and out somewhere or on a bike ride or occasionally having a lie in and having a cup of tea in bed.

Since my husband had his stroke nearly7 months ago it’s all changed. My mornings totally revolve around him and his needs.

I woke up at 8 today. I sleep upstairs, husband has to sleep in a hospital bed downstairs. I watched the news headlines then went down. He was just waking up. Took him tea and toast.
Got the shower room all ready, got him showered, dried and clean shorts and T shirt. Massaged his legs.

Got all the medication and together sorted out for the week and put it in pill case. Stripped his bed and put in machine. Clean bed linen put on. Hung washing out.

Put second load in. Made coffee. Put second load out. Neighbour came round at 12 to show us her holiday photos and that’s my morning gone.

Today I would have given anything to wake up and go out wherever I liked.

Since Lockdowns my life has changed drastically! Used to be up 7am latest & off to the Charity shop I volunteered in 3-4 days a week. Had to close the shop then & stay home! Used to go for walks but no one to talk to was awful! Due to lack of exercise I ended up with Rheumatoid Arthritis as well as the Osteo arthritis had since about 15 years old. Now hurt 24/7 & walking helps so try to walk as often as I can. Moved to be near family but do not see them very often. Left friends behind so a bit lonely now! Now at 80 I have to get up middle of the night for loo break then cannot sleep again for hours. Some days do not get up till 9am which is alien to me but when I do wake at whatever time I do thank whatever God/Gods/Goddess etc is out there that I have woken up again. May hurt all day but have 2 DGC that I want to see grow up a lot more so glad I am still here!

down at the beach
Oh, I knew we should have retired to the coast! I do miss the sea.

I do like to have 'something' to tie my day around

That's a wonderful phrase.

Just so that I don't disappoint Allira I was down at the beach by 10am this morning doing tai chi in the pouring rain. As you do. Instead of the usual 18 or so there were only five of us today, but it was lovely. My clothes will probably never be dry again, and I'm not sure body heat will ever return to normal, but as we sat in the beach pavilion having tea and toasted teacakes afterwards we decided they yes, it'd been fun 😁😉

I had to get up early for work so when I retired the last thing, as a night owl, I wanted to do was get up early. However, my current dog has a little alarm clock in her head that goes off at 7 on the dot (thanks Winnie ). Thankfully, after she’s had her breakfast she goes straight back to sleep. Unlike me; I have to listen to get back to sleep fast on utube because I know that, if I haven’t had enough sleep I can’t function properly ( if I ever do ).

I wake up at 6 and get up at 8. I’m terrible for doom scrolling.

Taichinan

I'm still here Allira! I've enjoyed reading this thread because now I know I'm not alone in lying in bed til 7 30 am or even later, and doing my downstairs jobs before getting showered and dressed! Such a relief 😁. As often as I tell myself that that is OK and I can do whatever I like when I like, I still feel guilty and ashamed of myself. So thank you OP!

😁

I had given in by then, Taichinan

Somehow I'd imagined you up at the crack of dawn, doing Tai Chi on the lawn or in the local park!

I’m up and out every day, despite hip, knee and foot problems. I have a dog - he needs a walk! I meet lovely people every day.

I also arrange things with friends/family. Or visit friends who can’t get out…. or mooch around the shops.

You will extend your life by exercising your heart/lungs & muscles. You will keep the weight off too.

Having spent decades of having to get up early and get going, bringing up my own six children plus foster children, and then - later -being in work at local hospital by 8.30 am, my main enjoyment of retirement, (which I took at nearly 70 years of age), was NOT having the alarm on!!!

I do like to have 'something' to tie my day around. Weekdays this is usually one or two of my different group meetings, weekends - usually things to do at home - including washing, and housework.

I love my leisurely mornings out of bed at 7.50 three or four mornings a weeks a shower, then my breakfast (laid out night before). Have this from my trolley on a tray with feet up watching This Morning on tv. Then I come onto my laptop, check what is going on in the world and in my family. Rarely get dressed before about 9.30, usually ready to go out for 10.00am

Although I can manage to move around fine in my flat, my mobility does not permit me to walk outside these days - but thanks to my lovely mobility scooter (my chariot), I can with ease get to all my different interest groups. Sorry I do not understand those people who say that because their mobility is reduced they are unable to go out - so many types of aids to help this.

I do like to get back home for lunch, as I know I always need at least a 30-40 minute 'power nap' in my chair after that to set me up for the afternoon.

Main meal of the day is eaten around 5 pm and as I have got older I dislike going out at all in the evenings - prefer my knitting and television. In bed between 9.30 and 10.00 and about an hour then doing Sudoku puzzles and listening to an audio book, before settling down for the first sleep of the night.

I really do appreciate what a lovely, comfortable life I have now. I have lived by myself for a very long time (even when my son and his wife shared my house, we tended totally independently). I have a spare bedroom, but find that if a guest stays overnight I do not sleep well, I am so aware of someone else in 'my space'.
Thanks to things like u3a, knitting groups, coffee mornings, etc etc. I have plenty of things to keep me occupied.
Today, for instance (Saturday), I have put the whole day aside as I have minutes of one organisation to write up - plus a lot of other administrative work to go with them, to start to set up paperwork arrangements for another organisations AGM, and to 'play with' and find how it works my latest kitchen toy - which I received from my children for my birthday yesterday - a beans to cup compact coffee machine.

I take it easy . Always up before 7 with a cuppa and I pad, read the news and messages from gransnet.
I wake Dh at 9 and we have our showers and downstairs for breakfast. I then walk the little pooch, back for elevensies and do a bit of housework or gardening. Read , crosswords in the afternoon

On the days I have activities or meet-ups with friends, I’m up and ready to go.
It’s nice when Dh is out (not very often, since the stroke) , I really get down to cleaning the house, and all the jobs that have been neglected. It’s amazing what can be achieved when I have the house to myself.

I go to bed very early.....sometimes half 8! I've just had enough and don't know what to do with myself.

I'm still here Allira! I've enjoyed reading this thread because now I know I'm not alone in lying in bed til 7 30 am or even later, and doing my downstairs jobs before getting showered and dressed! Such a relief 😁. As often as I tell myself that that is OK and I can do whatever I like when I like, I still feel guilty and ashamed of myself. So thank you OP!

I'm an owl so I'm not really wanting to go to bed yet. no-one sedms to be posting on this thread any more, apart from me, so perhaps you've all gone to bed ready for an early start!

My mother used to say that the sleep before midnight does you the most good but I think that was just to get me to go to bed and stay there. 🙂
I will go soon, but then read.

lafergar

Whitewavemark2

PS I always shower and dress after breakfast -occasionally after I’ve finished the housework.

That's where I'm goign wrong, this faffing about with housework.

😁

It only gets dirty again!