WELLBEING DURING LOCKDOWN

During the current unsettling times, it might feel like things are very much out of our control. Most of our usual daily routines have been thrown into disarray and the future, as far as the experts tell us, is far from certain. But still there are lots of things to do - aside from social distancing and washing our hands thoroughly with soap - to protect our health and wellbeing.

EAT WELL

Eating as healthily as possible is very important not only for our physical health but also for our psychological wellbeing. A healthy diet has shown to reduce our risk of getting chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, as well as depression and anxiety.

The best food for our mental and physical health are generally the healthiest foods. Complex carbohydrates, found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, provide important nourishment for our body as they slowly release energy, which also stabilizes our mood. 

A balanced diet includes a variety of foods high in vitamins A, B, C, D and E as well as the minerals iron, zinc and selenium. Vitamin B which is found in green vegetables like broccoli and spinach, beans, bananas, eggs, poultry, fish and beetroot, are very important for our body and the brain.

SLEEP WELL

Sleep is essential for our body to repair cells, clear toxins, consolidate memory and process information. There is sufficient evidence to show that sleep deprivation can have a major impact on our health - adversely affecting our psychological wellbeing, concentration and even emotional intelligence. It also increases our risk of developing chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity and heart disease. 

It is important to sustain a regular sleep routine. For most people, between six to nine hours of sleep a night is adequate. Going to bed and waking up at the similar time daily can help maintain a sense of normalcy, and helps us follow through our sleep pattern.

EXERCISE

Exercise releases chemicals in our body that makes us feel good, and it is also linked to better sleep, reduced stress and anxiety and improvement in memory and cognition.

The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout a week. Moderate-intensity exercise of 30 minutes a day for 6 days a week should be ideal. You can even break the exercising into 15 minutes sessions - 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening. Indoor exercises can include walking up and down the stairs at your home or in your building, jogging within the compound of your house, doing aerobics, shadow boxing, sit-ups or push-ups. 

GARDENING

Doctors in Britain are discouraging gardening and do-it yourself jobs around the house during the current lockdown. They are very concerned that these activities may result in injuries that may add to the strain that the hospitals are already facing as a result of the pandemic. Plastic surgeons there are urging people to avoid starting any task that could lead in a traumatic injury as it could divert the hospital staff and resources away from the current crisis. Medical records in Britain show there has been a spike in the number of power tool injuries since the lockdown was introduced.

Plastic surgeons in Ireland have treated numerous patients who had injured themselves after using lawn-movers, chainsaws and bikes since the introduction of the lockdown.

Therefore, gardening and some household chores which may result in serious injuries should be avoided during the period of this pandemic.

COOKING

Before the lockdown, many of us relied on take-away food due to our very busy lifestyle. Well, now the golden opportunity of learning how to cook, trying some new recipes and spoiling ourselves with homemade dishes have finally presented itself. Cooking can be lots of fun and allows us to choose our own favorite ingredients and menu based on our taste and diet. It is way healthier and usually more cost effective than take-away food.

SEWING

Sewing is an important life skill and is a vehicle to teach us self confidence through skill building. Sewing helps us develop fine motor skills, improves our focus and concentration and teaches the importance of patience and self control.

Through sewing, we get to make something useful and also get the chance to make heirloom items that could be passed down. They are the same skills needed to mend and alter clothes. Knowing how to put a hem back in the pants or skirts as well as to sew a button back on a garment is extremely important and is cost effective.

ONLINE GAMES ( NOT GAMBLING! )

Sitting on the couch for two hours a day to play online games during the current lockdown is definitely a great way to exercise our brain cells. Online games encompass an incredible variety of mind exercises. There are games that involve problem solving components and consequently,  we need quick reflexes to solve them. It is also a fascinating way to improve our decision making skills. Online games are virtually attractive because of its captivity and vivid graphics. Thus, playing online games is also a way to enhance creativity especially in children. 

Knowledge and skills are very important in most online games. These games are challenging yet enjoyable series of activities which needs a great deal of patience and perseverance to win a game. We challenge not just the system but also ourselves to become better. Consequently, it teaches us tenacity to conquer something that is very difficult. Playing online games will help improve our focus and attention through hand-eye coordination. Most of these games require the synchronization of the eyes and the hands to successfully complete the game.

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