With the pandemic meaning we have less ways of occupying our mind, body and soul, we need to think of ways we can keep ourselves healthy in all these areas. Now that the kids are back to school, we can get some more time for ourselves to stay sane and healthy. Just in case you missed it, we also had shared 10 things we learned during lockdown, you can read it here.
We have ten top tips to stay healthy during lockdown:
- Keep a Routine: We need a routine, to make sure we are getting enough sleep, exercise and are organised. So make sure you are making yourself go to bed and wake at the same time every day, ensuring if you are working you are getting yourself out for some fresh air or exercise daily, this will give you a break to rest your mind.
- Make time for friends and Family: Make time to speak to families and friends – this is for your mental health as well as theirs, support each other and touch base with each other to make sure everyone is sharing their feelings at this time. Even better if you can make a video call with zoom, House Party or facetime we have all the necessary tools now.
- Reduce Alcohol: Reduce your alcohol intake – You probably think it helps you to relax after a hard day of home school, work and parenthood, but it can also affect your immune system and perhaps using sleep or exercise as a form of relaxing will be more beneficial to your body.
- Keep a Healthy Diet: Eat healthy, keeping your diet healthy will ensure you feel clean in mind and body and are getting all the nutrients and vitamins your body needs to stay well and healthy. It’s very easy to snack all day when you are at home but trying to control this will make sure you keep yourself healthy. Juliana Ehr, health coach shares 4 tips to boost your family’s immune system.
- Selfcare: Indulge in some selfcare at least once a week, you need this time to yourself to enjoy something you use to relax and switch yourself off from the stresses of the current world. Selfcare is different for everyone and not everyone enjoys the same thing, whether its Yoga, a bubble bath, reading or sewing, as long as it’s something you enjoy you will relax your body and mind and be able to manage again afterwards. Read more about selfcare here
- Learn Breathing Techniques: Practice breathing techniques, learning how to calm your breathe can help you relax leading to improved anxiety, there are many apps that can help with this, even the iWatch has a breathing app that teaches you the way to breathe calmly. Other apps that can be downloaded are CALM, BREETHE & BREATHWRK. Life coach Angy Tsafos shares some calming tips here
- Exercise: Physical activity is important for body and mind, just because the gyms are closed it doesn’t mean we can’t exercise personal trainer Brigo PT shared his home workout tips with us here Remember exercise improves health significant and can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by as much as 50 percent. The guidelines are that you can still go out for one hour every day to exercise providing you stay safe and social distance so make sure you do.
- Take time to play: We probably feel we don’t get a break from them at the moment but take time to play with your kids, or even just chat with them, write a journal with them, as long as you are spending time with them not being stressed with work or school work and focussing on nice things like a game this will help relax you and them also.
- Co-ordinate with your partner: If you have a partner you need to make plans and co-ordinate together, your relationship is probably under a lot of stress at the moment. Have a conversation with them about how you can help each other.Â
- Organisation: being organised can take the pressure off, so if that means cooking meals ahead, printing off school work the night before or booking your online food shop these will all help with helping you feel more in control.
Take care of yourself and know that we are hopefully through the worst of this unprecedented time that no-one would have ever been prepared for, we are all on it together, doing the best we can. Read more about What Staying at home has taught us here
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