Being told to stay at home can be suffocating. With daily lives stripped of normalcy and uncertainty as to when we can return to that state laid out before the world, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and claustrophobic in our own homes. While binging Netflix and scrolling on the internet can be a fail-safe way to pass the time, keeping active is still important not only for your physical health but your mental health as well. Luckily, getting some exercise doesn’t necessarily require going to a public gym or having state-of-the-art equipment to use at a moment’s notice. There are easy ways to keep yourself active and healthy while self-isolating at home.
Keep an Active Routine Not being able to leave your house doesn’t mean you should roll out of bed to work in your pyjamas every day. Having an established, active routine will have a positive impact on both your mental health and your overall mood for the day. Try setting your alarm to wake up at the same time every day, do a morning workout followed by a shower to get you energized, and making yourself a nice breakfast to prepare yourself for the day ahead.
Do Some Stretching or Yoga Whether on your bedroom floor or in your living room, doing some mild stretching or going through a yoga routine will relieve stiff joints and help with blood circulation. Not all yoga has to be vigorous workouts meant to make you sweat; simple, steady types of yoga also exist for those who just need to stretch. Those who regularly practise yoga can improve their health and mitigate risk factors for heart disease, and studies have shown that people over forty who practise yoga tend to have lower blood pressure and pulse rate than those who don’t. What’s better is that there are hundreds of free instructional videos on YouTube for any skill level, making it widely available to all.
Do an At-Home Workout Speaking of free instructional videos, there’s a range of at-home workout videos also freely available on YouTube. So long as you’ve got a screen to watch and a WiFi connection (or a DVD if you have workout videos stored somewhere in your home), you’ll be good to go. Exercise can not only boost your mood and self-esteem, but also reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s, dementia, depression, and stress. Maintaining a routine will not only benefit you physically but mentally as well.
Being stuck at home shouldn’t be an excuse to stop keeping active. Whether you’re aiming to work up a sweat or merely burn off some pent-up energy, getting yourself moving will be overall beneficial toward your health at the end of the day.
