Staying healthy and active during this self-quarantine is one of the most important things to do for your physical and mental health. Here are five ways to keep active and moving during your time at home!
1. Get into a routine
For humans, having a constant routine may be simple and overlooked, but it is crucial for mental health. Being in self-quarantine may have altered your routine, but making a different one can be easy! Find one or two things to do consistently every day, such as a few of the following.
2. Go for a walk around your neighborhood
As summer approaches and the warm weather starts to sneak back in, it’s a perfect time to go outside and take a simple walk! Walking for 30 minutes a day has been shown to improve cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, and reduce body fat. It is a great way to clear your mind and keep up with social distancing standards while getting some fresh air in the process.
3. Follow an online exercise class
There are so many online fitness studios holding free trials or free classes until self-quarantine is lifted. Fitness Blender, BeachBody, CrossFit, and ToneItUp are just a few of the many online workout systems that have free trials or free classes being held right now. Not into strength or cardio training? There are Yoga options, as well. Yoga Works has an entirely free 14 day free trial of their online yoga classes! There are hundreds of thousands of free Youtube videos as well, from Barre to Yoga and HITT from home!
4. Meditate
Simple meditation can be a great way to clear your mind during this crazy time. Finding a quiet place to sit and relax can be just what your body needs to push through these next few weeks. Sitting and taking a few deep breaths can defog and simplify your mind in many ways. Research shows that just ten minutes of meditation a day is a great way to improve sleep and concentration.
5. Take technology breaks
The more free time we have, the more screen time goes up. This is one of the things we don’t keep in mind a lot during isolation. Taking a break from computers, social media, online gaming, and texting is a healthy way to unwind and super important for mental health. Taking a break, being mindful, and reducing the amount of time exposed to blue light that omits from any device is beneficial not only to your eyes but to your mental health as well. Reducing the amount of blue light exposure is shown to improve concentration and raise melatonin levels by 55 percent.