During this unprecedented time, it is even more important to keep active and healthy even though there may be days when motivation may be lacking. It is an opportunity to focus on doing something that we have always wanted to achieve but have never had time to accomplish and to replace our once known routines with adapted healthy alternatives.
Below are some tips to stay healthy during the Covid-19 pandemic:
1) Follow a routine – Humans are by nature, creatures of habit. As we are now spending a lot more time at home, it’s important to adapt our once known routine to fit in with the current changes we’re experiencing.
– Try to get up and go to bed at the same time every day, aiming for 7-8 hours’ sleep per night
– Schedule in lunch breaks, movement breaks and time for relaxation
2) Now is the time for the home workout! Exercise helps to manage anxiety and stress levels and can have many physical benefits too.
– There are a whole host of on online fitness classes for free whether Yoga, High intensity interval training (HIIT), Pilates or the well-known Joe Wicks morning PE Class. YouTube is a great source to start with. As well as the free material, a number of gyms and yoga studios are offering online virtual classes which can help if you feel you need a class environment to keep you motivated
– Dust down that exercise bike in your garage or the treadmill that is currently serving as a clothes horse
– Try some calf raises, squats, lunges or planks when you’re waiting for the kettle to boil
– If you have a garden or patio, get moving outside
– When working from home, get up at least once an hour to move
– If you try an exercise that doesn’t appeal, move on to something else that interests you, there are so many activities to try
– It’s good to vary between indoor activities and outdoor – such as running, cycling and walking. There are many running or walking apps that can be downloaded to your phone to help motivate you and track your progress. Take time to figure out what works best for you and fits in with your lifestyle.
3) As well as staying healthy in body it is also important to stay mentally healthy and take positive steps to combat stress and anxiety, which may be heightened during lockdown:
– Meditation enables a shift from reactive to responsive living, in which we choose what we dwell on, including our thoughts and experiences. Many styles of meditation can help reduce stress. Meditation can also reduce symptoms for people with stress-triggered medical conditions
– Keeping calm isn’t just about traditional meditating – we can also experiment with healthy diets, breathing techniques, enjoying nature and possibly learning a new skill
– If meditation is something you’re interested in there are a several apps available that can be downloaded to get you started including Aurahealth, Calm and Headspace.
Whatever option you choose to take, the lockdown has allowed us the time to make time for our own health and wellbeing, but most importantly, keep safe and stay well.
CA5376 Exp 26/12/2020
