By Tracy Goonetilleke
Art by Theone Tiu
Is your body aching from lying around all day? Feeling unmotivated to get up and do some work? This pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s physical and mental health. So, how do we get back to feeling all strong and normal again?
For starters, exercises (like strength training) bring numerous benefits to us. There are countless home exercises you can do. Such as: jumping jacks, push ups, squats and so on. Exercise helps reduce the risk of heart diseases and ensure you stay within healthy weight. Ever wonder why some people find exercising to be a stress reliever? Studies have shown that exercising helps improve your overall mood and lessens anxiety.
Another thing to look out for is our sleeping schedules. Don’t fall into temptation of staying up to finish the TV show you’re watching! According to Matthew Walker, sleeping less than the required amount of hours can be detrimental to our immune system, which increases our risk of cancer. Moreover, prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to cognitive impairments. On average, our bodies need at least 8 hours of sleep to be fully functioning.
And lastly, learn how to de-stress. With our whole country in lock down, we may feel trapped by staying inside for months on end and this can make us feel stressed. Stress manifests in many physical symptoms like stomach aches, tensed muscles, headaches and can make us feel exhausted. De-stressing can be different for everyone. Commonly it can include meditation, and engaging in creative activities to help express any of your emotions. De-stressing is all about helping you feel better, physically and emotionally.
At the rate that this pandemic is going, more and more people may feel that their health is deteriorating. But it takes only a few minutes to take a step back and help yourself relax and find your strength to keep going.