It has never been more important to take care of your physical and mental health. Human health relies so much on social interaction. Social relationships are consistently correlated with positive health outcomes. Relationships are especially vital in helping to prevent age-related disorders, mental health disorders, and disordered eating.
So, in a time when social distancing is equally important to maintaining your health as well as the health of your community, how do you make sure that you’re not only staying healthy but making healthy improvements to your lifestyle? Here are five easy steps to improve your health without even leaving your house.
Online Yoga
Studies have shown that yoga can not only impact your physical health and athleticism, but it can be used to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Yoga practitioners find that the practice can improve your flexibility, build your muscle strength, and improve your posture. Not only that but yoga has also been proven to prevent cartilage and joint breakdown, prevent osteoporosis, increase blood flow, and boost immunity.
With all of these benefits in mind, it might be the perfect time to start exploring the world of yoga. There are many free videos available on YouTube and through yoga specific apps. Some yoga studios have even started offering streaming classes through Zoom!
Mindfulness Meditation
Scientists have known for years that meditation can do wonders for your mental stability. Meditation, after all, is a method through which you can retrain your brain to focus on the present rather than the worries of the future. The most common reason people try meditation is to reduce stress, and for good reason.
Studies show that the practice can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the brain and body. Too much cortisol can lead to inflammation, depression, increased blood pressure, and even weight gain. Use this time at home to give meditation a try. If you don’t think you can do it alone, there are plenty of mindfulness apps out there to help guide your journey!
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
As difficult as it may seem to get a full night’s sleep during this time, it’s never been more crucial. Getting at least eight hours of sleep every night can help prevent heart attacks and strokes, can reduce stress and high blood pressure, and can help improve your memory. If you’re not able to get your full eight hours, try napping! Napping is an easy way to make yourself more productive and alert overall.
Video Chat Therapy
It’s no secret that therapy sessions can have beneficial effects on mental health issues. Mental health treatment can entail talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (cbt), exposure therapy, and person-centered therapy. Typically, these sessions would be done face to face and in many ways, face to face therapy is the ideal way in which mental health treatment would be undertaken.
However, in the world of COVID-19, therapists have had to begin adapting their methods to include live chat sessions, text therapy, and other forms of online therapy. These methods are essential to offering the kinds of immediate help that individuals whose anxieties have been heightened by this health crisis need. Online therapy, especially in cities that have been heavily impacted by the virus, can be an effective tool in battling traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and even relationship issues. After all, if you and your partner have suddenly found yourselves on lockdown together for the first time, you may find couples therapy to be particularly advantageous.
Your mental health issues will not evaporate just because the world has been put on pause. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself by seeking online mental health treatment and online therapy sessions.
Up Your Supplement Game
Just as you must continue to pursue mental health care during this time, you should also try to maintain a healthy diet and weight. It can be difficult to stick to a nutrition or health plan during a pandemic. When you have to stay at home, it’s far too easy to stay on the couch and snack all day.
One way to avoid the COVID fifteen? Invest in a dietary supplement that will help you lose weight while you restrict your caloric intake and increase your life-long longevity. NAD+ and NMN supplements such as those created by the all-natural company Calerie, help to reduce oxidative stress, age-related cognitive deficits, and blood pressure.
Several studies have shown that NAD+ (or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a naturally occurring enzyme that is responsible for managing body weight, metabolism, and energy. NAD and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) have been found in animal studies and in recent research of older adults to help battle cognitive deficits (like dementia) and slow the aging process.
Imagine the possibility of reducing your biological age while social distancing? A good NAD and NMN supplement can help you do just that while also helping to reduce your blood pressure, oxidative stress, and suppress your appetite.
It may feel easier to become complacent with your health during this time of uncertainty. However, it’s never been more important to pursue a holistic, healthy lifestyle. Take this time to invest in your mental and physical health. You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel!
