WELCOME TO HOW I Live, a new wellness diary series on TheJournal.ie.
We’re asking readers to keep a record of their mental and physical routines every day for one week – what their stress levels are like, how much activity they fit in (or don’t fit in), and how much sleep they get.
Each wellness diary is submitted by readers just like you. When reading and commenting, bear in mind that this is simply an account of a week in someone’s shoes, and their situation may not be relatable for everyone.
If you’re interested in submitting your own How I Live diary, email wellness@thejournal.ie with your name, age, location and a few lines about your current health and wellness goals.
This week, we meet a Galway nurse with a passion for gardening and a regular sea swimming habit. Please note that this diary was completed shortly before Ireland moved to the current Level 5 restrictions.
Occupation: Semi-retired nurse
Age: 66
Location: Galway
Who you live with: I live alone.
As I live alone, my time is my own, but I do try to plan my days ahead as it is easy to just laze around. I’m very active and gardening is my passion – I have an organic vegetable garden around 35 miles from my home, at the old family homestead. I work one week a month as a nurse in a rural area of Galway.
Daily activity levels: I move a lot but would like to improve my fitness levels. I swim in the sea most days as it’s close to home. I love a challenging cycle and am an active member of a hillwalking group.
Daily stress levels: I worry about small things and I tend to be the one my family turn to for health issues or advice!
Eating/drinking habits: I am continuously trying to reduce my weight and have tried many diets. I find the challenge is from 7pm to bedtime, as that’s when I love to have something sweet. Portion sizes and a sweet tooth are my downfalls. I have the rare glass of wine.
Usual sleep quality: Not great. Years of early rises for work mean I wake up around 6.30am/7am. I have broken sleep most nights.
Self-care: My activities are my form of self-care: gardening, swimming, cycling and hiking. Twice a week I drive to my garden and do some digging, weeding, sowing or depending on the time of year. Getting my hair done monthly is a treat too.
Morning: I wake up at 6.30am after a broken sleep. My first cup of tea is always just lovely and I turn on the radio to listen to Morning Ireland. At the same time I am on my iPad and straight away I’m into TheJournal.ie to find out what the headlines are today. Around 8am I have breakfast of porridge, brown bread and another cup of tea. I always have a pint glass of cooled boiled water with a slice of lemon first thing in the morning. I make a quick visit to a neighbour but don’t enter her home as her son is waiting for his coronavirus test results.
Afternoon: I make the journey to my homestead for some gardening. I did some shopping on the way, got a takeaway coffee, visited my parents’ grave and visited a local stove supplier. I climb up one of my apple trees to finish harvesting the remainder of the fruit but am disappointed to note a form of fungus has appeared on some of the apples. I will have to find out the cause. I make a mental note of what I need to do to prepare for next year’s gardening and planting.
Evening: I drive back to my house, cook dinner and sit down at 7pm to watch TV. I can’t resist going to the fridge to look for something sweet and have a yogurt with stewed apple. I pack some apples in bags to distribute to my neighbours.
Bedtime: I’m in my bed by 10pm and I read the news for an hour. I have the radio on and I fall asleep by 11pm.
Morning: Up today at 6.45am, turn on kettle, radio, iPad and a have a nice cup of tea. I had my usual broken sleep, but feel fine. I have my pint glass of hot water with lemon. Today I’m staying at home and have a few things planned. I am going to cut the lawn, tidy my front and back garden, go for a walk to get some groceries and try to source a plumber to insert a new stove.
Afternoon: I spend two hours in the garden, and meet a few neighbours who are passing. I spend time chatting to each of them. After 3pm I take out my bicycle and swim gear and head for the local beach. Beautiful afternoon, sun shining, a few swimmers around… I head into the sea and it’s just wonderful. I am not a great swimmer but I make an effort and spend around 30 mins in the water. I have a chat with some other swimmers and cycle home feeling so refreshed.
Evening: I have chicken with vegetables for dinner. I decide to bake some bread this evening and cook it while the chicken is in the oven. I listen to today’s Covid numbers on the radio. I look up some ‘local news’, i.e. visit RIP.ie. These days it’s usual for me to know some people who have died, whereas a few years ago that wouldn’t have entered my mind. I note a young person who I know of has died and I send condolences as it’s the only thing we can do these days.
Bedtime: I spend some time reading and am asleep by 11pm. Wake at 2am to go to toilet, listen to the radio and eventually back to sleep until 6am.
Morning: I get up at 6.30am and have my usual morning routine of the radio and the iPad. I need to do some jobs I keep putting off today… like tidying paperwork and sorting out my office. I tend to hoard and have accumulated a lot of stuff. I feel good and have updated the Covid app on my phone to say I have no symptoms. The daily news is depressing – those numbers are going up. I am conscious that I have not done much cycling or walking since Sunday last but hopefully will get out this weekend with the group.
Afternoon: I check my bicycle and head off west towards Barna and Spiddal. The cycle takes me through some beautiful scenery. I feel great and decide to stop for a takeaway coffee in Barna and head down to the old harbour. I spend some time sitting on the harbour wall in the brilliant October sunshine. Memories of people I knew many years ago come flooding back – this was the place I usually took my nieces and nephews to when they were younger. I call briefly to a friend and work colleague who lives nearby and we chat about life. She is standing inside the gate and I’m socially distant outside the wall – and I refuse an invitation to visit her home! After the chat I head for home.
Evening: High tide is around 5pm this evening and I head for a swim. I have a brief conversation with some usual swimmers that I meet. “How’s the water today? Did you stay in long?… Weather beautiful!” I watch Hector in Africa on TG4 after my dinner and the news.
Bedtime: I head to bed at 10pm. I have a good sleep and wake just once in the night.
Morning: Up early at 6.45am, I do my usual scanning of the daily news. There’s an email from our hiking club to say there’ll be no Sunday hike this weekend. I’m a bit disappointed. Strange times.
Mid morning: I decide to cycle to our local church for outdoor Mass. Afterwards, I’m heading out the main entrance as car suddenly drives in. I’m on the wrong side, brake suddenly and in a flash I’m heading out over the handle bars and crash on to the ground! I feel first for my knees as have had several surgeries in the past. I’m very embarrassed and after a few minutes gingerly pick myself up off the ground. My body feels as if I have been run over by a bus, knee is sore but there are no cuts or grazes. I’m annoyed with myself as it was my own fault. I’m limping now but try not to think about it. I take an anti-inflammatory to try to arrest the damage to the knees and body.
Afternoon: I again head off to walk to the beach for my daily swim. The weather is beautiful and I walk slowly as the body is feeling the effects of the crash. The water is cool but I’m convinced it’s what the body needs after the fall.
Evening: I cook some food (chicken with vegetables and of course potato), make some phone calls and watch TV. I ice my right knee before heading to bed early tonight.
Bedtime: I head to bed at 9.45pm, feeling a bit worried about the knee and how it will affect my physical activity.
Morning: Up early as usual, day looks dull and cloudy. My plan today is to head down to my old homestead, check on the garden and the remaining apples and store some onions harvested earlier. This morning I’m feeling the effects of the fall on my right knee. I apply an ice pack and note some swelling. I am hoping it is just some soft tissue damage.
Afternoon: I visit my niece and spend some time chatting and playing with her three-year-old son. After the visit I head to do my gardening. Photography is a hobby of mine and I just love this time of year as the trees are magnificent in their autumn colours. Some of the shrubs and trees would have been planted by my grandfather and father in times gone past.
Late afternoon: I watch the under-20 football game between Kerry and Galway, and thankfully Galway win the game. This year I really missed attending and watching the games. I check the house, make a cup of tea and then lock up and head back to Galway.
Evening: I get back home at 7pm and have some dinner and stewed apple. I decide to skip my usual swim this evening and instead spend some time icing my knee. Again, I feel a bit stressed about my knee and its impact on my usual level of activity.
Bedtime: I decide to hit the sack early armed with the papers. I’m asleep at 11pm
Morning: Up early at 6.45am. My knee is stiff and painful this morning so I ice it for about 20 minutes. On my way to mass (played outdoors by loudspeaker) I pick up a takeaway coffee in our local café.
Afternoon: I make a Christmas cake each year and today I’m shopping locally for the ingredients. I complete an online HSE course which as a nurse I am obliged to take. At 4pm I head out for my swim and hope it will help with my knee issue. I really miss our Sunday trek to the mountains and meeting up with fellow hikers. Instead I have a lazy day and watch Mayo hammer my beloved Galway in the football.
Evening: Feeling a bit down about my lack of physical activity and just hope the knee damage will settle. The fruit for the Christmas cake is now prepared and soaking overnight in poitín! I cook a lentil hotpot for dinner with some vegetables and resist the temptation to raid the fridge for something sweet. The news of the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases all over Ireland is a worry.
Bedtime: I’m in bed by 10pm and sleep after 11pm. I wake at 2am and listen to the radio for a few hours.
Morning: I’m up early and have my usual routine: radio, tea, water with lemon. Today the government is meeting and we await the decision re: lockdown. My knee is feeling a bit stiff and I ice it again. I’m also taking anti-inflammatories. Today I have plans to get the Christmas cake baked so I prepare the cake tin and start the mixing and creaming. Finally I have all the ingredients mixed and into the oven.
Afternoon: I am doing some HSE work on Thursday so have two hours of prep today. This involves some reading and making notes. I am also keeping an eye on the oven and the smell in the kitchen is very tempting. At 3.30pm I head off for my swim. As it’s raining fairly heavily the beach is deserted. I spend about 25 minutes in the water…hoping that it will help the “auld” knee to heal. On my return the kitchen is filled with the lovely smell of the cake.
Evening: The cake is finally baked and the oven turned off at last. I get some food ready; I have fish this evening with vegetables. I have a few phone calls and take time to chat and WhatsApp some friends. There is a lot of slagging about Mayo win against Galway yesterday. This evening feels like winter and it’s practically dark at 6pm. I’m annoyed not being able to get out for a walk but feel I I need to allow the knee time to heal. The announcement that nobody wants to hear arrives… we are all into another lockdown and I really feel for the thousands of young people who have lost their jobs again. The 5k restriction is also a bit of a bummer as I won’t be able to get to my garden.
Bedtime: I’m in bed by 10.45pm.
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