The COVID-19 pandemic, which has lasted more than one year, has had an impact on many things in our lives. We are becoming more active at home during the pandemic and reducing physical activity and social interaction, which can negatively impact our physical and mental health. The problems that often arise are eye complaints due to staring at the screen for too long while working from home, heart complaints due to lack of physical activity, skin complaints, and mental disorders. In addition to increasing and maintaining endurance, we also need to maintain physical and mental health during the pandemic. How to? Check out the bonus tips to maintain a healthy body during the Pandemic Period below!
Tips to maintain a healthy body during a pandemic
Limit screen time
During the pandemic, work from home (WFH) and online school are common. There was an increase in screen time because most of the work had to be done either on a cell phone or on a computer or laptop.
This causes an increase in the incidence of computer vision syndrome (CVS). Tips for maintaining eye health to prevent CVS during this pandemic is to apply the 20-20-20 formula. Rest your eyes after staring at a screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds by looking at an object 20 feet (about 6 meters) away.
Exercise regularly
Currently, most people spend their time doing activities at home, thereby reducing physical activity. Maintaining a routine to do exercise at home today seems to be a “must” as opposed to a “want.” Regular exercise or physical activity, even in small amounts, can make a big difference to our Health.
Do moderate-intensity exercise for 150 minutes in 1 week or about 20 minutes every day. Moderate-intensity physical activity means your body is working, your breathing rate is faster, and you’re starting to sweat. Regular exercise is one of the tips to maintain heart health. In addition to maintaining a healthy heart, regular exercise can also improve general health and increase endurance, so it can be a tip for maintaining a healthy body during the rainy season.
Take time to communicate with others
The prohibition to travel and the recommendation to “stay at home” causes a loss of time for face-to-face socialization. For some people, this can be stressful.
To maintain your mental health, take the time to communicate with others via cell phones, voice messages, or video calls. Another mental health tip is to do activities that you enjoy unwinding, such as watching TV, reading, or gardening.
Build a good sleep habit
Spending too long a time at home makes most people have an irregular sleep schedule, which needs to be avoided.
Good sleep habits are one of the tips for maintaining a healthy body. The recommended sleep time is about 7 to 9 hours in one day with the same hours of sleep and waking hours every day.
Drink enough water
Maintaining a healthy body in the new normal era can be done as simply as properly meeting the intake of fluids, and this is because our body is very dependent on water.
Water is needed by the body to help smooth the blood flow that carries nutrients to the body’s cells. Water also plays a role in removing toxins in the body and protecting sensitive body tissues. When the body lacks water, it’s not just dehydration that will happen. And it will be more difficult for you to concentrate and your energy will also be drained, making you more sluggish and lethargic.
Fluid intake can indeed be obtained from anywhere, but water is still the best choice because it is free of calories and sugar to be healthier for the body. Experts recommend drinking eight glasses or 2 liters of water every day.
Even so, fluid needs actually vary greatly from person to person. Most importantly, drink whenever you feel thirsty because thirst is a signal that the body needs water.
Learn more about how much water you need to drink on many different health and lifestyle websites.
Avoid stress
Prolonged stress, in fact, has a major impact on mood, attitudes and behavior to overall health. When a person experiences stress, the body will release stress hormones which can cause a decrease in the immune system. Stress can trigger tissue damage and various chronic diseases if allowed to continue.
Therefore, try to reduce or even avoid everything that can make you stressed. There’s nothing wrong with taking a break by resting to calm your mind and body from all your routines.
Fill your free time with positive things that make you feel more relaxed, such as meditation, doing hobbies you like, playing with pets, massage, and taking a warm bath. Or, letting your body rest all day without doing anything is perfectly fine.
In essence, make yourself feel relaxed and comfortable in ways that you really like. However, if you feel that you are not able to cope with stress on your own, don’t hesitate to confide in a friend you trust or even consult a psychologist. A psychologist can help you professionally deal with your stress.
Stop smoking and drinking alcohol
Many studies have shown that smoking does more harm than good. Smoking not only damages the lungs but also damages various other organs of the body. It also makes us more likely to develop heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other serious illnesses. Even more terrifying, the danger of smoking is not only for active smokers, but passive smokers who only inhale cigarette smoke also have the same danger.
On the other hand, consuming alcoholic beverages in excess is also not good for the body. This is why it is better to avoid or even stop smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages. For those who are addicted, quitting these two things is not easy, and however, that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.
Start reducing the number of cigarettes and alcohol glasses each day. Do it this way until you can stop altogether. In addition to intention and commitment to yourself, don’t be shy to ask for support from the surrounding environment, such as family, partner, to close friends. Support from loved ones is the best motivation to change bad habits.
Use moisturizer on hands
The COVID-19 pandemic requires us to wash our hands frequently, either using soap or hand sanitizer. Washing your hands too often can cause the skin to dry out, and dry and cracked skin can make it easier for bacteria and other germs to enter your body.
A tip to keep your skin healthy is to use a moisturizer after washing your hands. Moisturizers can prevent and help treat dry skin. If your skin becomes dry after using hand sanitizer, apply a moisturizer immediately after the hand sanitizer dries.
Manage the food you eat
Some things that can be done are eating various types of vegetables and fruit, reducing salt consumption, reducing fat and oil consumption, limiting the amount of sugar consumed, and drinking enough water every day. Good nutrition can also reduce the chances of developing other health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. You can search for some tutorial videos on how to make a healthy salad or pizza.
There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread through contact with food or food packaging. However, it is always important to maintain good hygiene when preparing food to prevent food-borne illnesses.
In a word
Well, you now know some of the ways you can stay healthy during a pandemic. Make sure to do all of these things on a regular basis so that the body’s immune system stays fit, so it can avoid attacks from the coronavirus. If you are out of the house, it is better to always apply the health protocols that the government has set. These are the bonus tips to maintain a healthy body in a pandemic period. Hopefully, you can apply a clean and healthy lifestyle and share it with those closest to you.
