Being on lockdown during this pandemic should not be an excuse to let go of your body and engage in an unhealthy lifestyle. The longer this goes on, and If you have to stay indoors longer than usual, it is even more essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle. In that way, you can avoid putting yourself at risk for certain conditions linked to unhealthy living. By staying on top of your behavior when you are stuck at home, you can prevent yourself from developing things like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and muscle atrophy.
Studies have shown that people who do not maintain a healthy lifestyle when stuck at home often find it difficult to resume normal activities after the home period is over. Going back to a physical work location may prove challenging for many; once habits develop, they are often difficult to unlearn; implementing and using new habits will lead to a healthier lifestyle. So if you are going to be held at home, for whatever reason, here are some tips to help you stay healthy:
1. Eat healthily
You would think that this tip does not require mentioning, but you will be surprised at the things people eat when they are stuck at home. It’s fine to eat junk food once in a while, but going on a junk food bender during a lockdown can cause you many issues. How many times are you reaching for food or going to the fridge during the day? Take some time and plan out your meals and snacks. For every 90% of whole, healthy foods, you can reward yourself with 10% of feel-good fare.
2. Get physical
Most people mistake physical exercise for body looks. It’s much more than that, exercise helps the body release stress, clear the mind, and it is good for the heart as it gets the blood flowing. When you are stuck at home, exercising can boost your sense of wellbeing and prevent you from suffering from dangerous health conditions like stress, depression and anxiety. Get up and go outside, take a walk, or even walk around your house; someone I know who has been quarantined overseas is doing just this.
3. Read books
With online streaming sites being so popular, it is easy to get stuck on the couch and binge-watch tv shows. However, people tend to forget the negative impact of long hours watching tv on the eyes, back, and intellect. In order to stay healthy when you are stuck indoors try and incorporate some books in between your tv shows. Taking time off the screen and moving images can do you a lot of good in as far as your eyes are concerned. Now is a good time to learn a new craft, develop your business and leadership skills, or just reconnect with yourself through personal development books. Another option are audiobooks, which can help with the advantage of doing another activity while listening to the book.
4. Feed the mind
Maintaining some level of intellect is another way of staying healthy when stuck at home. There are many ways of keeping your brain active during a lockdown. Neuroplasticity is the science of strengthening your brain so doing something different; you could play strategy and logic games that require you to think or you could also enroll in an online course or join forums that discuss highly intellectual topics. There are many ways to stimulate your brain these days so take advantage of them.
5. Take care of your mental health
When one is stuck indoors, they risk developing mental health issues, especially if they are alone. Taking care of your mental health is an absolute priority when you are locked down. You need to maintain contact with friends and family if you are going to be stuck indoors for a long time. You do not necessarily need it to be physical contact, video chats, texting, and phone calls can do just fine; Zoom is a good tool to use and get your family and friends together. Journaling is a great way to identify your mood and emotions; the more aware you are, the more you can do something about it.
6. Find a project
Having a sense of purpose can play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy attitude when stuck at home. It does not even have to be a big project. Just a simple project with results can work wonders. You can embark on a simple project like redecorating your room or something a bit more challenging, like DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects. Perhaps there is a task that you’ve wanted to do but have put it off – this is a good time to dust it off and get it done.
7. Improve yourself
When you are stuck at home, you could use that time to improve yourself. Learn a new skill that will help you get ahead when you eventually return to the world. Educating yourself will remove the unhealthy feeling of being “stuck” and replace it with feelings of finding a new purpose.
8. Help others
Being helpful to other people while you are stuck at home can do wonders for your mental health. There are many ways of helping other people that you can try. One example would be to help older people do online shopping, or donating to a charity. If you’re able, temporarily shelter a pet from the SPCA. See what is needed out there and how you can plug into them. Focusing on others gives your new perspective on life so you can be more tolerable of your current situation.
9. Explore and expand your horizons
It is always healthy to explore and expand one’s horizons. The world has so much more to offer than what you already know or think. So when stuck at home, take time to explore other cultures, try new foods, and above all, make sure you come out on the other side a better and stronger person.
10. Do not miss your medical consultations
Lastly, if you have medical conditions or scheduled checkups, do not pass upon them. Instead, use technology to turn up for your medical appointments and consultations, which includes mental health sessions to get your stress manageable, for example. If you have prescriptions to renew, you can also do that using telemedicine platforms and other technology.
Staying healthy will keep your mood and behavior up, plus you will learn new, more positive habits for once this over and that will keep you happier and healthier going forward.
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