Times are tough. COVID cases are rising at an alarming rate. Civil unrest creates fear and uncertainty. The economy is in trouble.
All of these factors create stress and stress creates its own set of problems. Frankly, while my disposition is usually pretty sunny, even my optimism has been tested. Generally speaking, as stress levels go up, self-care declines. Yet, now, more than ever, self care is critical.
I recently learned that people with diabetes, obesity, and hypertension are 12 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those without these conditions. There are studies in progress to determine the reason why this occurs but no reliable scientific conclusions have been published.
What is known is that the better your health, the better your chances for surviving COVID-19.
Of course, the first line of defense is prevention. Please stay safe and follow medical advice from experts to avoid being infected. Follow the advice from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Social distance (at least 6 feet away), avoid crowds, wear a mask and avoid contact with those that do not. Wash your hands often and keep surfaces clean.
Now let’s focus on you. Are you eating more? Drinking more alcohol? Moving less? Stopped exercising? If you have, you have lots and lots of company. Your behavior and feelings are totally understandable. Understand that what you feel (and how you have been acting) is okay. Stop beating yourself up. There is no blame here. However, rather than staying where you are, recognize that you can make some changes to be healthier. The good news is these are the same changes that you made to get on the right track in the first place.
Rule number one, be kind to yourself. Almost everyone on this planet has had their life disrupted. You are not alone! You may be stuck in your house, but your phone, computer and even your television provide connections to others. If you are sad, call a friend. Call family. Don’t think that you’re a bother. Chances are, they will be happy that you called. Even happier if you confide that you need someone to talk to and you chose them.
Here are some suggestions to start you in the right direction:
Manage your food intake. Eat at set times. Make yourself get up and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Schedule in a healthy snack or two at intervals between the meals if you get hungry. Eat in one location and sitting down. Avoid sitting in the recliner in front of the television with a pint of ice-cream. Serve portions and put the food away (in other words, have a scoop or two of that ice-cream in a dish and put the carton back in the freezer. Really. You can do this). When you prepare foods, package it in small one-serving baggies. Consider removing unhealthy foods from your house. (Okay, most of the unhealthy food. You can keep something you really like for an occasional treat…like that ice-cream).
Schedule physical activity every day Try yoga, or, if you’re like my husband who’s too impatient for yoga, try yoga for wrestlers (he loves DDP Yoga). Don’t like that? Look up some other type of exercise video that interests you. Hate exercise videos? Take a walk with your spouse, partner, or neighbor (always remembering to maintain social distancing). Don’t like walking, try resistance bands or dumbbells. At a minimum get up and walk around at least once every hour (set an alarm). Exercise will help you control your weight and brighten your mood. Think it’s too much? Start with 5 minutes a day (in a row). Increase it as little as a minute a day and in no time you’ll be physically active. Again, if you don’t meet your daily goal, don’t beat yourself up. But…you need to take that first step.
Get adequate sleep. Sleep is critical to good health. Studies have shown that a lack of sleep increases stress, makes losing weight more difficult and can adversely affect almost every system in the body. Set an alarm to go to bed and to get up on time to be able to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep. However, don’t overdo it. Too much sleep may be a sign of depression. Try to keep to a reasonable schedule.
De-stress. We have become information junkies. There is news 24/7, most of it bad. Don’t get caught up in it. Unplug. Try using relaxation apps like Calm or Headspace. Don’t like that kind of thing? Listen to music or play an instrument. Music is the original “soul food.” Music not your thing? Work a puzzle, build a table; do whatever you like but do something that brings you joy and takes your mind off the troubles of the day. And as I said before, try to stay connected with friends and family.
Remember, you’re never alone and we’re all in this together.
Like every troubled time in history, this too shall pass. If you take the time to invest in yourself you’ll find that you will be happier and more useful to yourself and others. Get back on those tracks and thrive. You can do it!
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