Seasonal Life Hacks for MS

Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be tough because it brings challenges to our everyday life. It's like trying to do regular things when your body and mind are not always cooperating. That's where life hacks come in. Life hacks for those with MS are not just clever shortcuts – they are indispensable tools for navigating the complexities of daily routines, managing symptoms, and enhancing overall well-being.

Throughout 2024, we will put out seasonal life hacks shared by those in the community to help make life navigating MS a little bit smoother. To start, we’ll be focusing on winter life hacks.

Spring life hacks

Spring has sprung! For this seasonal life hack, we're going to focus on Spring Cleaning hacks! We've gone through the archives and pulled some interesting hacks that our communities members have shared when it comes to making chores easier to accomplish. Here are just a few...

Make it a game

Set a clock for 5-30 minutes and see how much you can get done in that time moving at a pace that feels comfortable for you. Once the timer beeps, stop. Reward yourself with something you have been looking forward to. Maybe it's a cup of tea, or maybe a good, long nap. Whatever it is, take the time to reward yourself for a job well done.

Find tools to help that work for you, not against you

Utilizing long grabber tools, automatic scrubber brushes, and other gadgets can help tremendously when it comes to taking care of difficult, more physical tasks as well as alleviating all of the energy it takes to bend down and stand up.

Cleaning up after pets

Consider purchasing long-handle cat litter scoops and long-handle pooper scoopers, all available at places like Amazon and Chewy, to help make cleaning up pet waste a bit easier.

Try cleaning with a body-double

Body-doubling is a strategy term used among the ADHD community which is having another person do chores or tasks alongside you. The goal is that they not only help you complete these tasks but can also distract you from the chore itself with conversation.

Create lists

Create two separate lists. Label one of those lists that you can accomplish if you're low on energy. Label the other list of things you can accomplish when you're high on energy. Check off things as you go and when you feel you're done for the day, actively take a moment to be proud of yourself, even if you accomplished one thing, that's still a big win!

Winter life hacks

Here are some hacks for navigating life in the cold of winter:^1,2

• Wear layers so you can peel them on and off throughout the day. Going from inside to outside and back can be a shock to the system. MS can also sometimes cause our bodies to feel overheated even when it's cold outside, or vice versa. So it's good to keep a variety of layers handy.
• Keep your circulation flowing by trying to move around, if you can. This can also help reduce muscle stiffness that can happen in cold temperatures. If you're unable to move around, you can try wrapping something warm like a fleece blanket around yourself. Some blankets even have sleeves to help add to that warm feeling.
• Close the windows or draw curtains after the sun sets to help insulate your home from the cold. These little actions can help keep the home a little warmer and reduce the draft from outside.
• Eat or drink things that are hot. This can warm up your hands and fingers and help keep the body feeling warmer.
• Consider using a hot water bottle, electric blanket, or a heating pad. These may be especially useful if you're in a place where everyone else feels warm but you feel cold. Just be careful with these items, as skin may be sensitive to the touch with them, and MS can mess with our internal body temperature.

Those are just a few ideas, but we want to hear from you! Got winter hacks of your own? Share them in the comments below!