Being stuck at home can make it very difficult to find the motivation to stay healthy and active. Although it may be difficult, you should still try your best as it is very important for your health. The following are a few ways for you to stay healthy and active while stuck at home.

• Maintain a Healthy Diet

While stuck at home, you may find yourself snacking more often. When deciding what to eat, you should also provide yourself with healthy options. Although it is perfectly fine to have junk food from time to time, it should not be the only thing you are eating. Your meals should contain the recommended serving from each food group. If your snacks are unhealthy, you should try to swap them out for healthier options. You should also be drinking lots of water daily. Replace sugary drinks with water. You could add lemon to your water for some flavour or even make some tea, preferably with no sugar.

• Exercise

Although you might be stuck at home, there are many ways for you to stay physically active. You should aim to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day. If you can, you could go on a walk, run, or bike ride around your neighbourhood. If that’s not possible, you can exercise at home. There are several workout videos online that you could follow. Another thing you could do is dance. Follow someone’s choreography or even dance on your own. Just play some of your favourite music and dance.

• Stay Mentally Active

While at home you may find comfort in watching TV or using technology all day. You may not feel motivated to do any activities that keep your brain active. Just like how you should be physically active, you should also stay mentally active. There are many ways that you could do this and it does not have to be boring. You can build a puzzle, read an interesting book, learn a new language, practice an instrument, or even watch a documentary.

• Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is very important for your physical and mental health. Each age group has a recommended number of hours they should be sleeping daily. It is important to aim for that recommended amount. This is because getting too little or too much sleep can be harmful with time. In order to get a good amount of rest, it is best to not use technology right before going to bed. The blue light that is produced from technology can keep you awake, making it difficult for you to fall asleep. Instead, you could read a book or try meditating.

• Get Fresh Air and Sunlight

It is important to get fresh air and sunlight daily. Breathing in some fresh air and receiving vitamin D from the sun every day is good for your health. Try to sit outside or go on a short walk if you can. If for any reason you can’t go outside, aim to keep some windows or a balcony door open to let the fresh air come in. Also, keep the curtains open to let a good amount of sunlight into your home.

Resources

Thaler, Megan. “6 Best Ways to Stay Healthy While Stuck Indoors.” Steel Series. https://steelseries.com/blog/6-tips-maintain-your-health-while-stuck-indoors-196.

Kueppers, Courtney. “7 ways ot stay physically active when you’re stuck at home.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/ways-stay-physically-active-when-you-stuck-home/ABxkqpYwvThtBxVYaFsgqM/.

Ducharme, Jamie. “How to Stay Physically and Mentally Healthy While COVID-19 Has You Stuck at Home.” Time. https://time.com/5804130/covid-19-social-distancing-wellness/.