The coronavirus crisis is falling heavily on the world with numerous cases of it being detected worldwide on a daily basis. More than 1.4 million people have been affected by the pandemic so far and around 80,000 casualties have been reported. The situation seems scary with the numbers rising rapidly and the health emergency the virus has triggered globally. Most of us are staying at home to avoid being one of its victims, taking into account the important precautionary measures. But, are we staying fit and healthy?
In India, more than 5000 cases of the Coronavirus have been reported and we have been put under complete lockdown until 14th of April, 2020. All services have been closed except for emergency services like grocery stores, medical stores, and hospitals. Moreover, all corporate offices and business parks have been shut down and employees have been directed to work from home for their safety and reducing the risk of transmission of the disease to others. Sitting still at home all the time and not moving out during the lockdown phase might have an adverse effect on your health. This is why you need to stay fit and healthy to keep away from the ongoing health crisis.
Staying fit and healthy is the need of the hour in the advent of the ongoing crisis. We can’t go down the streets to take a walk or visit a gym during the lockdown phase. Most of the people these days working from home have to sit in a chair, staring at their systems for several hours as there shouldn’t be any hamper to your tasks during the lockdown phase. But research suggests that sitting for long periods of time and staying at a place constantly can have adverse effects on your body both physically and mentally. If you aren’t engaging in some physical activity, you are prone to health issues like high blood pressure and cholesterol which can increase the risk of heart diseases, obesity and even diabetes.
Being physically active on the other hand, helps you stay fit and healthy and reduces the risks of the diseases stated above. It reduces mental stress and you will naturally start to feel positive and be active throughout the day. Working for long periods of time can make you feel tired but by taking out some spare time to take care of yourself will actually make you more productive at work. Most people complain that since they are under lockdown their lifestyle has changed many times. They are stuck at home and have to do all household chores themselves as domestic helpers aren’t available during the phase of lockdown. But to stay fit and healthy, you must show some activeness and bring in ways to achieve it.
Still can’t figure out how to stay fit and healthy during the phase of lockdown? Try these 11 simple but great ways to keep yourself fit mentally and physically.
Also read: COVID-19: 10 Ways To Make Your Work From Home Efficient
1. Take frequent breaks during your work from home
Most corporate employees have been directed to work from home for their safety in the ongoing health crisis. But staying at home throughout the day and working for long hours can have adverse effects on your physical and mental health. Hampering your day’s task and putting health first can’t be a relevant option for you here. So what do you need to do? All you need are small, frequent breaks from your work and put it to an activity which will help you stay fit and healthy.
During these breaks, you can meditate to relieve mental stress or you can even consider doing some cardio exercises like skipping, push-ups and planks. If you can’t manage them, you can even take a walk in your corridor or on the terrace of your house.
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Drink adequate amount of water
Water is considered the ultimate energy source. You should drink water regularly whether you are staying at home or working in your office. It is the best source of antioxidants and helps you revitalize your sense, bringing in mental freshness. Science says that you should drink at least four litres of water every day. It helps you stay hydrated and active throughout the day and helps improve your metabolism.
To maximize the benefits you should actually drink at least two glasses of warm water during the morning. You can even mix-in a tablespoon of honey and squeeze in some fresh lemon if you are worried about gaining weight during the lockdown phase.
3. Nutritious foods to boost your immunity
You should add-in a lot of nutritious fruits and vegetables in your diet to stay fit and healthy during the lockdown phase. You should eat nutritious green vegetables and fresh fruits as you need to increase your immunity to fight the pandemic of coronavirus.
Start by adding in nutritious superfoods like garlic, lemon, tulsi, and turmeric in your diet. And, if you want to show some creativity, blend them into nutritious shots which can be used to boost your immunity.
4. Meditate to stay mentally fit and healthy
In the current scenario of the Coronavirus panic and chaos all around, all we need is some peace. Many employees are working from home and most of us are staying home and aren’t allowed to go out. What better way to get rid of such stress if not for some meditation?
All you need to do is take out some time from your busy schedule, sit in a quiet and calm room, close your eyes and concentrate on your breath. Are you a beginner here? Let’s start by following three simple steps:
- Get comfortable and sit down for a few minutes.
- Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Inhale and exhale. Take long and deep breaths and feel it gushing in through your nose and finding its way to your lungs and belly.
- Keep breathing and leave all worries behind.
Meditating will surely help you relax your mind during the period of lockdown and help you become stress-free.
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Take a nap
While sleeping in the afternoon after lunch is bad for health, taking a small nap of 15-20 minutes in between work hours can actually be beneficial for your health. It helps you reduce your stress level and makes you feel relaxed after constantly gazing at your computer screen. A midday nap can also help reduce blood pressure, research suggests.
So what do you need to do? Put your laptops and mobile phone away and lie down in peace for a few minutes, closing your eyes. This will help you relax and in case you haven’t slept well, it will definitely help to freshen up your mood.
6. Do workouts twice a day
Staying at home can be boring but can also make you prone to various health issues. The adverse effects not only end there but are also followed by mental stress. Gaining weight while staying home is what all youth are concerned about these days and the best way to stay fit and healthy is by working out.
Since during the lockdown, you can manage to find an open gym the best way for you to stay fit is working out at home. Start with basic exercises like pushups, skipping rope, situps, and crunches. Working out twice a day will definitely help you lose weight in case you are worried about gaining some extra pounds in the lockdown phase.
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Say no to outside food
Ordering food from outside has become a necessity for all employees staying outside their hometowns as many can’t cook. But constantly eating outside junk food can cause adverse effects on your digestive system and can lead to issues like obesity. Especially, considering the current health crisis, it is best advised to not order outside food and rather cook at home to stay fit and healthy and protect yourself from the virus in the air around you.
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Wake up early
Science says that waking up early can be beneficial to both physical and mental health of yours. Ayurveda suggests that waking up around the dawn or the Brahma Muhurt can make you more active and fill you up with positive energy. It is considered to be the most perfect time of the day to do exercises and yogasans. It can be the best time for doing pranayama as the air is totally pollution-free and doing it can help keep the body fit and healthy.
To wake up early, you need to go to bed early and take an adequate amount of sleep. Include this habit in your daily routine if you want to lead a healthy life. Considering the current health crisis, waking up early will make your body fit and boost up your immunity.
9. Sit in the correct posture
We all know that during the lockdown we need to sit back at home and work but some of us want to include comfort in the process. We tend to lie down on the bed and work but this, in turn, can be harmful to your body. You might develop early postural deformities like scoliosis, antecollis, and many more. Have you ever felt a backache while working for long periods of time? If yes, you might not be sitting in the correct posture.
So what do you need to do? Sit down straight in a chair and never lie down on the bed while working. Believe me, comfort while working from home can be tempting but will be harmful to your body in the long run.
10. Climbing up and down the stairs
Climbing up and down the stairs might seem like a childish activity to do for staying fit and healthy. But, it is believed to be the best exercise. Even when you’re in your office and can climb up a few stairs to reach your destination, refrain from using an elevator. Especially in the current lockdown scenario, when you are at home, climbing up and down the stairs can help you burn some calories.
11. Staying positive
Lastly, staying positive — yes, it is the best way to stay fit mentally. Staying at home, going through an alarming calamity COVID-19 can be full of distress. Getting to know the news of people becoming sick and even dying can bring-in agony and panic in you. But the need of the hour is to maintain calm and positivity.
Remember that history is evident that we all have seen harsher times and have successfully evaded them by maintaining positivity in the air around. This is the reason why you should include this new habit in your life if you haven’t already!
So these were our 11 best suggestions for you to stay fit and healthy while staying at home during the lockdown phase. Staying at home all the time can be boring and even frustrating for many of us. And, many of us are concerned that it may fall heavy on our fitness and cause health problems but following healthy habits like waking up early, doing workouts and eating healthy can really help you not only stay fit and healthy but also will help you evade all the worries, filling you up with energy and positivity.
In the wake of COVID-19, where most PGs and apartments are asking employees to vacate their rooms for safety, Colive still cares for its residents. We have taken a number of steps to maintain hygiene without compromising the services offered at our facilities located near prime tech and business parks around Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. We always care about the security and safety of our residents. Visit our website to know more!
