How To Improve Your Health & Wellbeing During COVID-19
02-04-2020
During the unprecedented times of COVID-19, our lives have been turned upside down. The way we live, interact with people and function in society has completely changed.
As COVID-19 continues to dominate our lives and the many curve balls that come with it, there is no denying this virus has had a major impact on many people’s health and wellbeing.
A study conducted by CSIRO on COVID-19’s impact on weight and emotional wellbeing revealed that 66% of respondents felt their exercise had worsened to some degree, while 41% felt an impact to their emotional wellbeing.
If you are struggling to improve your health and wellbeing during COVID-19, here are some tips to help you.
Stay connected with family and friends
We know these times can be isolating as restrictions continue to impact social interactions and border closures may prevent you from travelling to see friends or family. With all this going on, now more than ever it is the most important time to stay connected to family, friends and work colleagues.
One of the best ways to do this is by picking up the phone and calling your friends or family as often you can. Try this by either arranging a time, or nominating a specific time each week to call a loved one. Just a simple 15 minute conversation with someone will allow you to catch up on all that is going on in each other’s lives.
Another great way to stay connected is by organising a zoom or skype call with friends or family. This will give you that face to face interaction that is so important to our mental health. Why not organise a Friday night wine and pizza night over zoom with a group of your closest friends to make you all feel connected.
Take time to focus on yourself and your mental health
During these times, you may find yourself having more spare time than normal. With this extra time, you should ensure that you are taking a moment to focus on yourself and your mental health. By simply taking any time you can, whether it be 5 minutes or 1 hour, you should find a quiet space to be alone.
Take some time to be still and reflect on what you feel grateful for and what your priorities are. This can be a great way to help you stay focused and centred during a period that definitely feels a lot more chaotic than normal.
Some great ways to take time for yourself include some morning meditation, starting a bullet journal or doing yoga in the evening to improve your sleep.
If you feel you may need some help, there are a number of online services read to help you such as Beyond Blue or Headspace.
Engage in physical activity
Adults should get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five times a week. Physical activity has a number of health benefits including helping to control your weight, and reduce risk of heart disease but it also has plenty of benefits to your mental health and wellbeing.
Engaging in exercise during COVID-19 is so important because exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins help to relieve pain, reduce emotional stress and offer a sense of wellbeing. This will help you to cope better with all the changes going on in our lives.
Exercise is also a great way to get out and get some fresh air and sunlight which will help improve your mood and clarity of mind.
Eat right
Consuming a balanced diet helps to keep your mind and body healthy, both pivotal to improving your wellbeing during COVID-19. A nutritious diet helps to maintain a healthy body weight, improve your energy, concentration and also improves your sleep.
During times of isolation, it may be tempting to reach for more junk food or order take away more often to make yourself feel better. However, these eating habits will actually be doing more harm than good.
Ensure you are eating a balanced diet to improve both your health and wellbeing. By saying this, also know that you can treat yourself sometimes.
Get a good night’s sleep
Sleep is vital to your overall health and wellbeing. Sleep enables your body to repair and be ready for another day. If you choose to neglect your sleep and not have a regular sleep pattern, this can drastically affect your health.
Aim to get around 7-9 hours of sleep a night to ensure you can function at your best the next day. If you are having problems falling asleep, read this guide we put together with 50 sleep tips and tricks to help improve your sleep.
There may be a number of reasons you can’t sleep, make sure you look into these. For example, if you suffer from back pain you should make sure you understand which is the best mattress to help alleviate back pain.
Focus on your health and wellbeing
During these tough and trying times, your health and wellbeing is so important. Take some time for yourself and implement these tips above to improve your health and wellbeing and feel a real change in your day to day life.
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