5 Health Tips for People with Epilepsy

Epilepsy affects around 600,000 people in the UK. Our blog post today aims to give some tips to help you keep healthy.

A Balanced Diet 

A balanced diet is key to maintaining overall health.  Although seizures can never be controlled by diet alone, the overall health of an individual is very important.  Ensuring your diet is both balanced and varied will have an effect on your health, your moods and outlook.  Another, often overlooked, is hydration.  Many people forget to drink enough water each day.  This can have many a wide range of negative effects on a person and dehydration has been linked to triggering seizures.

Many children have found the frequency of their seizures has reduced when observing a Ketogenic diet.  Although before making any lifestyle change it is important you speak with a health care professional as this diet should not be attempted unsupervised.

For many people with epilepsy, the kitchen can be a frightening place, but the confidence and independence that comes with preparing one’s own meals cannot be overlooked.

The epilepsy society has many useful tips on ensuring your home is kept safe.

Sleep

A regular sleep pattern is vital in any person’s life and that is no less true for people with epilepsy.  Getting enough sleep will aid your alertness and general mood, allowing you to feel more confident in controlling and managing your epilepsy.  For many people who struggle to get a good night’s sleep there a few tips that can aid you in your journey to the land of nod.

Our circadian rhythms can be disturbed by artificial light, so it is important to remove televisions, computers and tablets from your bedroom as well as dimming the lights in your house. A good tip is to turn off the main ceiling lights and use smaller table lights.

Ensuring you have comfortable nightwear is vital.  Many people eschew the traditional pyjamas and opt for their underwear or a simple T-shirt, but selecting nightwear that makes you feel comfortable can play a big role in preparing the body for sleep.

For many people with epilepsy, the condition can feel isolating.  It is important for any of us to feel understood and that our hopes and fears are appreciated by those around us.  The emotional stresses of life is a common trigger of seizures and as such should be treated seriously.  Advice on dealing with Stress, Anxiety and Depression can be found here at the Epilepsy Society website.

Keep Calm and Exercise

The effects of exercise on a person’s wellbeing, mental health and outlook are unparalleled by almost anything else.  From light walking to weight lifting, it is important to find the kind of exercise that suits you and your lifestyle.  Before embarking on any exercise regimen it is vital that your doctor is consulted.  Once they are happy with the changes you wish to make the only thing that is left is to get out there and do it.  Many local leisure centres run Yoga classes, a discipline that has helped millions of people throughout human history to find peace and relaxation.