Time at home has increased due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This means that physical activity has decreased, and mental stress has increased due to a sudden shift in lifestyle. Usually, a stressed response is caused by a physical or mental shock that temporarily appears and disappears soon after the shocking stimulus itself disappears. However, like the COVID-19 epidemic, long-term stress leads to a lot of health concerns. People are worried that small symptoms like fever may be COVID-19, and. These concerns lead to secondary anxiety and physical symptoms like insomnia. That's why people are deeply concerned about their physical and mental health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Korean Academy of Medicine— also referred to as the National Academy of Medicine— have suggested a way to take care of both your physical and mental health at home. This is because as long as the coronavirus outbreak is prolonged, more and more people complain of depression due to infectious stress. Blue, which symbolizes depression, was added to the new word 'corona blue'. Corona blue is the time when “psychological quarantine” is needed for people who complain of psychological pain. That is why these health organizations now campaign for “health at home.”
1. Physical Activity: Avoid Doing Nothing, and Keep Moving
Living at home easily forces you to keep sitting.. The more you sit, the less you move your body, so it doesn't help you stay healthy. WHO suggests that moving your body while doing something indoors is more beneficial to your health than doing nothing. Even if you're sitting, you can still get up from time to time and do light walking or stretching for 3-4 minutes.
2. Mental Health: Maintain the Rhythm of Your Life
As for mental health, WHO emphasizes keeping routine— or a regular pattern in day-to-day life— above all else. It is very important to maintain the rhythm of daily life, such as sleeping and waking up on time, in order to take your mind off the pandemic and other crises. Even if you didn’t have one before, it's not bad to take this opportunity to make a regular lifestyle plan. We as students and children need to monitor our screentime with our smartphones, computers, TVs, and video games as it’s become a trend that we’ve been having more screen time now that we’re in quarantine. Creative and fun offline activities, like drawing, reading, or dancing, are encouraged during this time.
3. Quit Smoking: For Your Health, Have Healthier Habits
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Korea has designated smokers as a high-risk group for COVID-19. Smokers are already in a state of poor lung function, and contagious diseases can lead to serious conditions such as pneumonia. When the finger holding the cigarette comes into contact with the mouth, the virus from the hand can easily infect the body. Therefore, quitting smoking can be seen as one of the ways to lower the risk of COVID-19, as well as a lifetime of other serious diseases. Smoking or vaping aren’t worth the illnesses they bring! You can break the habit by taking deep breaths while having regular breathing exercises, and by regularly drinking water.
4. Communicating with others
Communication is a power that moves the mind. It may seem unnecessary right now to communicate with others, but if you are suffering from an illness like COVID-19 or from feelings like anxiety or loneliness, communication is one of the things that have the greatest impact in our lives. The pandemic has had a lot of influence over our lives, but among them, the depression that occurs while staying in an isolated space for a long time is probably the biggest problem.
As mentioned earlier, so many people have become depressed and lonely in recent months. However, this problem can be solved by socializing! Try hanging out with your friends and family, even if you can't meet in person. You can reduce your stress and increase your happiness just by texting people you truly care for. Another way is to use social media, like YouTube, Discord, or Reddit, to make new friends and mutuals. Maybe a memorable experience is awaiting you there!
5. Healthy Diet: Being Mindful of What You Take In When Ordering Take-Out
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, meals are often made and eaten at home. It tends to be too much work to prepare meals each time or homemade meals may have become too boring, so some households prefer to have food delivered for mealtimes.Still, physical activity is falling, and many people are gaining weight by frequently eating delivery or instant food. The WHO also explained that the more time you spend at home, the more you need to pay attention to food and watch what you’re eating. It’s suggested that you eat more fruits and vegetables and eat salt and sugar sparingly to keep a healthy and balanced diet.
To make the world better for everyone one of us, let’s do our best to take care of ourselves and each other. Let’s overcome the crisis together!
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