The coronavirus pandemic has forced us all to be cooped up in our homes, practicing social distancing in the hopes to limit the spread of the disease. Now that we are home bound, we have the chance to create new methods of work productivity and finding a new normal to adjust to. At the same time, being confined to the four walls of your house also means fewer opportunities to be out and about and staying physically active.
Our bodies and minds need some form of physical activity to function well, benefit mood, prevent excessive weight gain, keep our immune system running and make us less susceptible to infections and other conditions. Any activity is better than none. So, even while you are self-isolating, that doesn’t mean you have to give in to the sedentary lifestyle but rather embrace it and discover ways and various at-home workouts to keeping moving and hitting that daily step count.
Stretch it out
Now that you are working from home, you are likely to be spending more time sitting one place. It is important that you take regular breaks from your desk to just walk around the house for some body movement. Moderate stretching helps avoid stiff joints and aches and provide good blood circulation.
Get up from your desk every 30 to 45 minutes and do some quick stretches to relax those muscles and allow them to reset. Hold the stretches for at least 30 seconds. You can even create your own stand-up desk that would also allow your body and muscles to not get constraint with sitting down for long hours.
Make use of stairs
A couple of rounds of stepping up and down the stairs is a great way to improve and maintain physical fitness. Start gradually and increase your pace as you go. Make sure to not trip by trying to walk faster or when increasing the speed. Maintain stability. Also, avoid touching the handrails.
Try an at-home workout
With so many totally free of charge apps and YouTube videos available on working-out at home, you wouldn’t feel the lack of going to the gym.
According to the NHS, “physical activity can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.”
So, whether you are into cardio, HIIT, strength training, or if yoga is what works for you as a work out, you’ll find something that suit your needs. Get your water and a yoga mat, and get ready to sweat it out.
Your own bodyweight workouts
Strength based exercises that utilize your own bodyweight have been proven to be equally beneficial for health as other forms of exercises. Get creative with bodyweight ways-like press-ups, sit-ups and planks, that you can incorporate to feel the burn.
Aim for at least a couple of these sessions per week, with three to four rounds of each move, eight to ten times should take around the 20 minutes. Remember to take 10 seconds of break in between the exercises. Working out your body will not only help with staying active and keeping those muscles fit, it will also help regulate and improve your mood.
Bodyweight workouts include squats, plank, lunges, sit-ups, press-ups, etc.
Meditate
Staying at home for a prolonged period of time can be overwhelming and can turn out to be a cause of stress and anxiety. During those times, when you are feeling anxious, it can be useful to practice breathwork or meditation to help manage your headspace. Regular meditation or breathing exercises help recenter the mind, deal with stress, and reduce levels of depression and anxiety.
There are many breathing techniques that you can follow if and when the dread starts to take over. You can also start your mornings with a few minutes of meditation while listening to some calm music, and help your mind to focus and recenter itself.
Don’t let the isolation be a period where you slack off your normal routine, try to find balance between your work, productivity and health. While there may be bouts of lack of motivation, remember to keep yourself engaged in some activity or the other to keep you moving. There are plenty of ways to benefit your health and mind and staying fit from the comfort of your home.
