BeWell Blog

male at the beach holding a towel with a port on his chest

Things Chronically Ill People Secretly Panic About Before Summer

I think healthy people get excited for summer in a way chronically ill people sometimes cannot fully relate to. For a lot of people, summer means freedom.Vacations.Pool days.Beach trips.Cookouts.Sunshine.Spontaneous plans. But for a lot of people with chronic illness, summer...

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women at a bachelorette party in a jacuzzi relaxing

Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties While Living With Chronic Illness

When did these things become so intense? Like, I get wanting to celebrate your friend getting married, but when did it turn into needing a vacation day just to recover from the "fun"? If you've got a chronic illness, or...

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women putting baby powder in her hair to absorb oil

Low Spoon Hacks

Some days just moving feels like a win. It isn’t about giving up, it’s about saving strength where you can. When every task takes more than you have, choices change. Done matters less than surviving without breaking down. Staying upright,...

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engagement ring sitting in box on a blanket

Chronic Illness And Getting Engaged

So you're engaged. Or maybe you're about to be. And while part of you is floating on cloud nine, another part is already calculating: How much will this take out of me? Can I handle a big proposal? What about...

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women in blankets on her bed,snowy outside, taking it slow in the mornning

Saving Spoons in January: A Gentler Start to the New Year

Cold air comes in alongside calendars full of promises. Tossing lights into boxes. Shifting back to old rhythms. Writing down what should happen. Handling tasks left behind when holidays took over. For those living with ongoing health struggles, this time...

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a display of cookies at a christmas party

Rethinking Christmas Cookies: A Time When Your Body Doesn’t Tolerate Them Like it Used To

One of the ways in which I was brought up to celebrate Christmas was through Christmas cookies. One of the Christmas traditions that I look back on now that I cherish is my mom making what we used to colloquially...

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dark lonely view from inside a home looking out to a dark snowy night with some christmas lights in the distance

This Holiday Season, It’s Okay

The holidays come with this implicit to-do list that never was actually written out for you but which it seems you are expected to be in compliance with anyway. You are expected to go to all the parties. You are...

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3 spoons on glistening snow

Save Your Spoons in December

inThere’s a type of magic that comes with the month of December. The lights turn on earlier, the traditions come back, and there’s just this unspoken need to mean it. But for many, especially those dealing with chronic illnesses, loved...

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Autumn farmers market with pumpkins, visitors browsing under pergolas in golden sunlight.

Haunted Houses and Sensory Overload: Why Spooky Season Can Exacerbate Chronic Illness Symptoms

October rolls around and suddenly everyone is completely stoked about attending haunted houses, corn mazes, and Halloween bashes. Your social media feeds are with individuals screaming their way through high-production-value horror scares scenes, and someone will approach you and invite...

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a person walking on a trail on a cold fall day

When the Cold Bites: How Changes in the Weather Impact Autoimmune Flares and Chronic Pain

October with its soothing tradition, pumpkin patches, the shaking out of blankets, the sunsets that occur so much earlier and tell you to stay indoors. But for individuals with autoimmune disease or chronic illness, October more often than not brings...

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Person in soft sweater relaxing by window on autumn day, gazing at golden fall landscape.

September Is Pain Awareness Month: 5 Soft Ways to Honor Your Body

September is Pain Awareness Month, a time when the world comes together in solidarity for what millions of us experience every day. If you're reading this and live with chronic pain, then you already know how awareness months can simultaneously...

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Fall scene in a cozy living room with autumn leaves outside the window at dusk.

Fall Light Science: How Autumn Days Could Re-Set Your Spoonie Sleep Cycle

Fall's changing light patterns can naturally help reset disrupted sleep cycles common in chronic illness. As days shorten and sunsets arrive earlier, your body produces melatonin sooner, making it easier to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. Simple changes like getting 10-15 minutes of morning sunlight and dimming lights after dinner can work with autumn's natural rhythm to improve sleep quality for those managing fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, POTS, and other conditions.

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