Balancing Fun and Safety

Some people are planning summer vacations and signing up for sports leagues. Others are lining up and making plans with friends for the start of big blockbuster movie and concert season.

Many are signing up for epilepsy awareness walks and events in their communities. Some are defying their allergies and enjoying the outdoors.

Some are drooling because their local fruit and vegetable stands are opening. They are checking out recipe websites and re-visiting their healthy eating goals. Others are cleaning and decluttering their homes, which for them is a stress reliever.

So, how do you balance the joys of the season with staying safe and being seizure smart?

Here are some ideas.

Vacation Planning

If you or a family member lives with epilepsy, you may have questions about how to travel safely and manage seizures in unfamiliar situations. Check out these tips for making travel plans and managing medications while traveling.

Sports and Exercise

Whether you enjoy community summer sports leagues or informal fun activities with family and friends, exercise and physical activity offer great ways to

• Take care of your wellness and overall health
• Reduce stress
• Socialize and enrich your life

Find information about

• Safety with sports and exercise
• Playing sports and other activities
• Benefits of exercise
• Exercise FAQs

Movies, Concerts, and Outdoor Events

Everyone with epilepsy is different, so what may trigger a seizure is different too. For about 3% of people with epilepsy, exposure to flashing lights or to certain visual patterns can trigger seizures. This means for some people, intense lights in many of today’s action-packed movies, big production concerts, and exciting outdoor events could create seizure safety concerns.

Also, for some people, it might be the noise or excitement of these events that are a concern. Or perhaps being in a crowd of people induces stress, which is a common seizure trigger. Or the late hour of many events leads to missing your medication or not getting enough sleep.

Planning ahead can help you enjoy the event and stay safe.

• Use a tool, like My Seizure Diary or Texting 4 Control, to help you keep to your medication schedule.
• Ask a friend or family member to see the movie first and give you hints (no plot spoilers!) about when to cover your eyes or suggest whether you should wait to watch on a smaller screen in a well-lit room.
• Call or email the event venue or show promoter and ask about strobing lights.
• Use social media to ask others who saw the concert tour in a different city or have already seen the movie.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Manage stress.
• Make sure friends and family who will be with you know how to help. Share your seizure response plan and teach them seizure first aid. Remember – it starts with Stay. Safe. Side.

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Getting Outdoors and Involved

Throughout the year, many local Epilepsy Foundations are holding a Walk to END EPILEPSY^® in their community to create awareness, provide education, and raise funds to support the amazing work they do to care for people with epilepsy and families. Find a Walk to END EPILEPSY in your community. Or contact your local Epilepsy Foundation to find out about other walks, strolls, conferences, and events you can join.

Check out Athletes vs Epilepsy for ideas like the 26-day Step Challenge, Gear Up for Epilepsy cyclist event, and Kids Crew 10-day Challenge. Find help with planning your own event.

Healthy Eating

Research shows that poor dietary choices can result in increased health risks for a range of health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and epilepsy. That means healthy eating is an important part of everyone’s overall health, seizure management, and wellness. Find information about healthy eating. If your treatment plan includes dietary therapy, check out recipes from The Charlie Foundation and Matthew’s Friends.

Share How You Find Balance

Share in the comments here how you and your family live to your fullest potential and achieve balance between fun and safety. Post on our Facebook page, tag us on Instagram, or tweet us with the hashtag #SeizureSmart.