How are you coping with the 21-day lock-down? If you are an introvert, you must be relieved at the rare opportunity to enjoy some solitude. If you are an extrovert, you may be dismayed that you cannot meet up with your friends. But, we have all accepted that it is the only way that we can eradicate COVID-19. That is why we are dutifully staying home to avoid any exposure to the virus.
The lock down may keep us safe from the Coronavirus, but it presents us with some unique problems. Have you realized what they are?
The challenges of a complete lockdown!
All of us will face some if not all of these challenges.
- We are not getting much exercise. Our movement is curtailed to within the span of our homes.
- In these times of uncertainty, we are worried sick about what the future holds for us. Will there be enough food, water and medicines for us? How long do we have to stay cooped up in our homes?
- We are anxious about the health of our loved ones who are not living with us.
- We feel bored. How much Netflix can one watch?
Let’s face it, staying at home can make us lazy and affect our health! So introvert or extrovert, each one of us has to adopt a few healthy activities so that we can emerge from the COVID-19 lockdown stronger & better than before!
Activities to keep you healthy!
Here are a few suggestions that you may find useful-
- Make time for yoga & meditation
It is quite natural for you to feel worried and anxious. This is a crisis without precedent in the 21st century. We really don’t know how much damage COVID-19 will do to our country and the world.
But do you know what happens when you cannot control your anxiety? It gives you high blood pressure, insomnia and aggravates existing health disorders. What will happen will happen and we are all in it together. So you need to be calm.
To help yourself to stay composed, practice yoga and meditation first thing when you wake up in the morning. Yoga will quickly install mastery over negative emotions and meditation will help you keep you calm and centered.
- Decode some puzzles
In the first few days of lock down, you will feel like binge-watching videos on YouTube or Netflix. But soon even that will get boring. So, why not make the most of the opportunity to exercise your brain and keep it sharp and keen?
There are multiple puzzle apps and brain games you can download and play with your family or by yourself. Another productive way to beat boredom and relax your nerves is reading. Fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, journals, whatever captures your fancy just read on.
- Catch up on your sleep
Are you always complaining about how your work doesn’t allow you to get enough sleep? Well, now you are saving up time by not having to commute to work. Ensure that you sleep for 7-8 hours and wake up with a revitalized body and mind.
Sufficient sleep will rejuvenate your body, repair any internal damages and instill positivity. Sleep is one of the best ways to keep yourself fit – physically and mentally.
- Keep your diet simple
Do you live alone and rely on processed ready-to-eat food? Or does your mom do all the cooking? Why not let her enjoy a much-deserved break now? And why not acquire the new habit of cooking or baking healthy foods? Now is your time to surprise yourself and/or your family with your culinary skills.
Head to the kitchen and prepare simple and yet healthy meals with simple ingredients such as lentils, vegetables, rice, wheat and herbs and spices. Hydrate and nourish with juice everyday. Stick to the basics like dal-chawal-sabzi and roti-sabzi. If this gets boring then spice up your meals with some good old pickle.
Besides, when you eat healthily, you keep your digestion going strong. Staying indoors all day can trigger digestion issues that can be averted with easy-to-digest foods. Healthy eating will also nourish all organs of your body to keep you strong and fit throughout lock down.
- Spring cleaning
Now that you have plenty of time on your hands, why not attack the dust and accumulated grime of your home with brooms, dusters, vacuum cleaners and scrubs? We cannot stress how important it is to keep every square inch of our homes clean because many harmful viruses and bacteria spread in filth. Your health will thank you for your efforts.
- Dance like no one’s watching
For people who exercise outdoors, working out in cloistered spaces can be a nightmare. But that doesn’t mean you can forgo on exercise! What should you do instead? Why not try dancing? There are multiple cardio-based dance choreographers that you can find online. Learn the steps and practice them. It is fun, invigorating and extremely good for your body.
- Stay connected on social media
If you are living alone in another city for work, then there is a possibility that the lock down can trigger depression in you. But to prevent that you can deploy WhatsApp video calling and Skype. Talk to your loved ones multiple times a day and spend time together virtually.
Make the lock down a blessing in disguise. Stay indoors and keep yourself occupied with healthy activities. This is the time to look at the positive side, reinvent ourselves and become fitter and stronger individuals!