In the times of Covid-19, life has come to a standstill for many. Children do not go to school, and parents are working from home. Parks, playgrounds, restaurants, theatres, and even gyms have closed. It began with instructions for physical distancing and hand washing.
Now, one-third of the world is under lockdown, and we have over one million people infected with the coronavirus. With no vaccine around followed by the unpredictable nature of the disease, adjusting our lives to the current restraints seems to be the only option.
On the one hand, our daily routine is out of gear, while on the other, there is perpetual fear and anxiety, as our health care systems fight hard with the virus.
So, it is essential to keep mental and physical health well in these uncertain times. But helping kids with their studies, cooking all three meals a day, and doing office work in between might not be easy to handle for the working class.
Many are already laid off, and many are in constant fear of losing their jobs. And, for the social butterflies, online chats and meetings may never be satisfactory.
In such situations, your eating habits could go for a remarkable toss. We have long queues in supermarkets, and a whole bunch of epicurean foodstuffs is unavailable. So, how do we stay fit and happy in these pandemic times? Check out below.
Fix your sleep-wake cycle:
Most of us no longer need to do the morning chores. It is natural to get up late and sleep late at night.
We may not have meals at the right time, and dozing off at any time of the day is very much a possibility. But all these affect our circadian rhythm.
Based on whether you are a night owl or an early morning bird, fix the time. Once you have decided the time, force yourself to sleep.
Keep electronic devices away for at least an hour before you go to bed. Reading and meditation will help you calm down and aid in having a good night’s sleep.
If possible, do simple warm-up exercises the first thing after you get up.
These ensure that you have fewer chances of injury while exercising.
Plan activities for the entire day:
Split your activities for morning, afternoon, and evening. If you have children, plan a similar schedule for them too. Figure out the time you are most productive at work.
Calculate the chunk of work you need to complete daily. Involve children in activities like cooking and cleaning. These are essential life skills, that they must learn.
Play a board game or any indoor game with others in the family. Do not be hooked on to the phone for the entire day to know the updates.
It creates unnecessary anxiety, so let that be once-a-day activity.
Try online classes:
Going to a gym or a yoga session was a stress buster for many. They might find working out from home monotonous and challenging too. We also have those who cannot set a routine for exercising. For such people joining an online fitness class would be the best choice.
Also, there are many free youtube videos available on different practices like Yoga, Tabata, aerobics, and cardio like lunges, planks, burpees, etc.
The online sessions need not be limited to exercise alone. You could learn new recipes and upgrade professionally too.
Make exercise inclusive and fun:
If you wish to engage all members of the family, especially children, in the exercise regimen, then you have to make it a fun and leisurely activity.
You can try dance moves like Zumba, and aerobics. You can let the kids do random dancing too. Cleaning is another activity that involves a lot of physical movements.
In this pandemic time, it is a must that we keep the house clean, and involving everybody in the house quickens the process. Another enjoyable and rewarding pursuit is gardening. It requires weeding, hoeing, mowing, etc., which can strengthen and tone up your back and shoulder muscles.
You get to breathe fresh air, and you have fresh veggies and fruits as produce. It is a blessing in this lockdown period when you have supply chain issues and a large crowd in shops.
Keep an eye on nutritional values:
Most of us are lolling around the house, and there are plenty of chances that we end up munching snacks now and then. Weight gain is a significant concern among people.
So, first of all, it is necessary to have regular meal time daily. Replace the regular processed and packaged snack items with healthy ones like cheese, apples, dark chocolates, salads, energy bars, etc.
Sportspersons may be more disappointed with the cancellation of scheduled events and no training facilities. But, it does not imply that they have to stop preparation.
They need to enhance their physical strength and keep updating the nuances of the game.
Final thoughts
Now, it is a cliche to say that we are living in unprecedented times. Almost 99 percent of the population has not experienced a pandemic of this magnitude in their lives.
But technology has ensured that we are informed, connected, and entertained in the four walls of our room. It is up to us to stay safe and healthy, both mentally and physically.
In the current scenario where our health is at stake, the key is to monitor ourselves.
