As we become more used to quarantine and gyms, bars, and restaurants being temporarily closed, it can be easy to become complacent. However, even during this quarantine everyone can still have a healthy routine by following a few simple guidelines.
Home Exercise
With gyms closed in many states around the country it may seem difficult to get the blood flowing and to get proper exercise. However, there are a number of things you can do to stay active and healthy in your own home. Some easy exercises to do around the house includes lunges, squats, pushups, chair dips, leg raises, and more. You can even get a more comprehensive workout if you purchase free weights or other exercise equipment.
Along with these at home exercises, there are many cardio options available if you are looking to lose weight. Running, or even walking, is something that you can do around the neighborhood. If you have access to a pool you can go on a daily swim which can feel great during the summer heat. Going for bike rides is another option. Even just a stroll around the neighborhood is a good exercise.
This all may be a little overwhelming, but when it comes to exercise, starting is the hardest part. If you can get started and stay committed to a new exercise routine, it can become a habit soon enough.
Meditation and Breathing Exercises
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends breathing exercises to cope with stress and calm the body. For deep breathing exercises, here are a few tips:
- Breathe in through your nose from the belly
- Lie down with your knees bent
- Place a hand on the stomach and focus on the movement caused by your breathing
Similar to breathing exercises, meditation is a mind-body practice that can increase calmness and relaxation. There are many different types of meditation, but most consist of similar elements including:
- A quiet location
- A comfortable position
- Focusing your attention
- An open attitude
Meditation has been shown to help with blood pressure, pain, anxiety, depression, and more.
Drink Water
Drinking water is the essential to physical health and can help with body temperature regulation, lubricate the joints, protect the spinal cord, get rid of waste through urination and other processes.
Avoid Too Much Alcohol
During this quarantine it can be easy to get in a routine of drinking alcohol regularly. For some this may not be a problem; however, drinking alcohol too often can lead to many dangerous side effects and may cause some to abuse the substance. Some effects of excessive alcohol abuse include:
- Loss of coordination
- High blood pressure
- Alcohol poisoning
- Liver damage
- Heart damage
- Alcoholic
.cancer
Understanding the dangers involved with alcohol use is important if you are going to be using the substance regularly. If you decide to stop drinking alcohol and begin experiencing symptoms of withdrawal, be sure to contact your doctor immediately. Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly without receiving the proper treatment for alcohol abuse.
Start Cooking More
Since many restaurants are closed and we are stuck at home more often, this one should be easy. While exercise and meditation can do wonders for physical and mental health, you can help to cement these improvements by creating healthy personal meals in the kitchen.
If you are not the most experienced chef in the world, now is the perfect time to try and improve you cooking skills and work to create healthy meals regularly. One of the easiest ways that you can get into cooking is to start with crockpot recipes, they are simple and delicious.
There is a number of resources available on the internet to help you find delicious and easy recipes.
Get Started
Like exercise, the hardest part about making these changes is just getting started. After a few days or weeks following this routine, it can become second nature. If you want to make these lifestyle changes, set a date for yourself. On that day, you will wake up and begin your new routine. It can be overwhelming but it will lead to great results for your overall health.