5 Simple Activities to Maintain Your Physical and Mental Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Here are 5 simple activities that you can start implementing today:
1) Unplug-There is so much information being thrown at us moment to moment, take a break from it for 10 minutes or 10 hours, whatever gives you a break. Starting with 10 minutes and increasing it toward a goal is an easy way to get started! Check out: becomingminimalist.com/unplug-please (7 important reasons to unplug, find space and fight tech addiction by Joshua Becker)
2) Stretch-This practice gives you the chance to be still, reflect, and listen to your body. Stretching loosens your muscles which relieves muscle fatigue and increases blood flow. https://uhs.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/wellness-mindfulstretchingguide.pdf
3) Deep breathing-Proper breathing goes by many names. You may have heard it called diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, or belly breathing. When you breathe deeply, the air coming in through your nose fully fills your lungs, and you will notice that your lower belly rises. This skill is inborn but often lies dormant. Reawakening it allows you to tap one of your body's strongest self-healing mechanisms.https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/take-a-deep-breath
4) Walk/Run- Exercise is foundational for self-care. It can be a daily activity and a proactive approach for caring for our bodies. Anything is better than nothing is a fine approach, especially to get started. A 20 minute walk or run is ideal and studies show that it is beneficial for increased heart rate and energy, improved mood, lowering risk of heart disease and diabetes, stronger memory and weight loss. https://www.runsociety.com/health-injuries/9-scary-benefits-of-running-and-walking-you-never-knew
5) Practice Gratitude- The benefits are endless! Research by UC Davis psychologist Robert Emmons shows that simply keeping a gratitude journal can increase well-being https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_gratitude_is_good/
More clarity and certainty will come with time, but in the meantime, creating some good practices can only be beneficial to yourself and those you love.
Premier Physical Therapy offers therapy, as well as, variety of programs to support your self-care. https://www.premierphysicaltherapyservices.com/therapyservices
Debbie Jones, PTA