How To Survive Being Sick When You Live Solo

Being sick sucks, pretty much universally. But it can suck just a little bit extra when you live by yourself and don’t have anyone to help run out and grab meds or soup. If you live solo, here’s how to survive being stuck at home sick.

Nothing’s worse than waking up with a terrible sore throat, stumbling over to the medicine cabinet and finding it empty or full of expired meds. When you live solo, nothing can quite drive home the fact that you’re alone like having to drag yourself to the drug store sick as a dog. So take some time today or this week to stock up on a few essential medications you might need the next time you get sick. Grab a few cans of your favorite soup to stick in your pack so you don’t have to run out for food. Pack some tissues. And consider whatever else you might like to have in it. That way next time you start feeling unwell you can stop sickness in its tracks.

A trashcan made of a material that’s easily cleanable is smart for both unexpected uses of it in the middle of the night but also cleaning up germs after it’s collected your used tissues for a week.

It’s unlikely you’ll be well enough (or even able) to do any serious vacuuming or mopping while you’re ill at home, and that’s totally okay. Being sick means getting a pass at certain cleaning chores for the duration of your illness. But if you’re able to get out of bed a little bit, then do try and focus some energy toward keeping a few key areas clean, mainly changing your bed sheets regularly and keeping on top of the dishes and trash (both areas that can attract bugs if you let them go too unruly too long).

I tend to completely turn my apartment into a cave of despair when I’m sick. The curtains stay closed. I don’t put my favorite music on. I don’t make my morning tea or do anything else that is a part of my morning ritual. And for a few days of being ill, there’s no doubt I’m actually unable to do those things. But you know how after a few days, you’re still pretty sick but you’re not as sick as you were when you started? That’s when it’s important to crawl out of bed for a few minutes and try to bring some normalcy back into your home and your day. I’m a firm believer that staying sick longer than your actual sickness is helped by locking yourself up in an “I’m sick” mindset. And setting yourself free from that mindset (and helping the healing process) could be unlocked by simply reintroducing the simple things in your daily routine that make living in your home a joy.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a family member or friend when you’re really too ill to do it yourself; you could stay sicker longer. So ask for a delivery of groceries if you need (they can even just drop off outside and don’t have to risk coming in) or something as simple as asking a neighbor to bring the trashcan in from the road or grab the mail.