How to Have Fun when You Are Sick

Taking it Easy

Take a nap. This may not sound like much fun, but you can make it enjoyable by putting on your comfiest pajamas and wrapping up in your favorite blanket. As a benefit, naps will increase your immune response and help you feel better faster. This is your chance to really take a break and get some sleep.

Watch movies and television shows. Zoning out in front of the television is sometimes frowned upon, but not when you’re sick. Take this time to watch your favorite movie or binge watch a new series you have been meaning to check out. Time will fly by and you won't have to move a bit. Ask your friends for recommendations if you don’t know what to watch.

Read a book to take your mind off of being sick. You really can dive into a book and end up in another world. Turn the pages of a good novel and your mind will inevitably begin picturing the world of the story and place you in it. For even less effort, listen to an audiobook. You can get your first one free from audible.com.

Take a bath or a shower. The warmth of the water can soothe aches and pains, while the steam from the bath can help clear your nasal passages. Bathing is also relaxing and relaxing can set off endorphins to you brain which can help kill some pain. Your body cools itself down to prepare for sleeping. A hot bath can help you sleep by raising your body temperature, then triggering sleep mode as your body slowly cools after you get out of the bath.

Listen to your favorite album. Have a little concert in your bedroom. Put your favorite album on repeat and turn it up as loud as you want. Your favorite tunes will make you happy, more relaxed, and even help you heal faster by regulating your breath, heartbeat and stress levels. Have roommates? Put in your headphones and rock out.

Play video games. You can play on gaming devices or your phone or tablet. Video games can take your focus off your sickness for a while. In fact, there is an organization called "Get-Well Gamers Foundation," which provides games and consuls to sick children in hospitals in order to promote quicker healing.

Order food to be delivered. Hop on an online delivery service like Grub Hub or Postmates to search menus from restaurants in your area, or call up your local restaurant and treat yourself by ordering in. Best of all, you only have to get out of bed to answer the door! Try ordering hot and sour soup from your local Chinese restaurant to get the comfort of the soup as well as clearing your sinuses with the spiciness. You may even want to combine this meal with some hot tea to sooth a sore throat. If you have any issue with the food quality or service, you can contact Grub Hub or Postmates customer support easily.

Socializing from Afar

Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. Do you have a good friend you have been out of touch with? This is a great time to reach out and have a nice long conversation to catch up on all the lost time. Call them at a time that you think is convenient to their schedule. Avoid times when they may be too busy to talk, like when they are at work or school, or having dinner. Acknowledge that it has been a long time since you spoke to get rid of any awkwardness and to let them know you are being genuine and not just acting like no time has passed at all. It is best mention how long it's been right at the top of the conversation by saying something like, “It’s been such a long time,” or “I bet you’re surprised to hear from me.”

Write a letter. So much evolution has occurred with our communication devices that it is rare people actually sit down and write a letter to someone else. On the other hand, there is something more intimate, personal and timeless about handwriting a letter. Write a letter to a friend or loved one and put it in the mail when you feel up to it.

Indulge in social media. Even though you may feel left out while you are sick, you can stay in the loop with your friends by scrolling through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Send Snapchats to your friends and it's almost like you are there with them. Write a post asking for suggestions of movies and television shows you should watch while you are sick. Create an event as something you can look forward to once you get better and can spend time with your friends. Ask your friends to reply to your post with their favorite memories of your time together or their memory of how you first met. Start a discussion regarding something you are passionate about and ask for input. Choose to post things which won’t be upsetting or cause you more stress. Be aware of your privacy settings and be careful what you put online.

Play games with your friends online. When you can’t get out into the real world, you can still play with your friends in the virtual world. Choose from role playing games like Second Life or virtual reality in League of Legends. You can also keep it simple with classic board games like Scrabble using Words With Friends. If your friends aren’t already players, you can invite them to join the game via email. You may want to get their permission or ask if they would like to play via text, then send them ways to connect online.

Learning Something New

Tour the world on Google Earth. Google Earth now has an option called “Tour Guide,” which can take you on a tour of famous landmarks around the world, and even allows you to explore outer space. Download Google Earth to your computer or smart phone, then type in a destination. Click the “Tour Guide” button on the bottom left of your screen to begin your tour. Interesting facts about the place you are touring will be displayed on the top left of your screen while you fly around the location. When the tour is finished, click the “x” on the top right of the tour player box, and a list of other tours will automatically pop up. Choose the next place you would like to explore.

Watch Ted Talk videos. Ted Talks are short, informational videos on all kinds of subjects. You can search by topic or duration of the video. If you've never seen a Ted Talk, you can get a good introduction by choosing one of the Ted Talk playlists, such as the 20 most popular Ted Talks or the 11 "Must See" Ted Talks.

Go to the Louvre without leaving your bed. The Louvre offers online virtual tours of some of their exhibits on their website. Choose one that appeals to you and click on the virtual tour button to begin your adventure. Use your mouse to view left and right. Click the arrow when it appear to move down a hallway. Aim your view at a specific display and click the “i” button to reveal a box of information about the object you are looking at.

Tackle that craft project you have sitting around. If you have everything you need for crafting, now you have time to do it. Some good ideas for sick day crafts are crocheting a blanket you can wrap yourself up in and personalizing it with your name, decorating a mug for sipping hot tea, making a cool cover for your tissue box, or molding a homemade bath bomb for your bath time soak. Look up some instructions and get creative.