The lives of people around the world were turned upside down due to the pandemic. Aside from affecting their livelihood, it has also affected their physical and mental health. We need to take care of ourselves and practice self-care until the health crisis is over.
Here are some self-care tips you can practice during these trying times.
Get a Good Night’s Rest
Sleep is one of the most important components of self-care. Some even consider it as the top priority in taking care of yourself. Getting enough sleep allows your immune system to function properly and ward off infections and diseases.
It also allows us to ward off stress since sleep deprivation causes us to be irritable and easily stressed. If you don’t get enough sleep, your brain functions may be impaired, causing you to lose focus and make poor decisions.
To ensure you get enough sleep, always follow a sleep routine. You should avoid taking caffeine late in the afternoon or around ten hours before you go to sleep. Sleep requirements depend on your age. It can range from 14 to 17 hours for newborn babies to 7 to 8 hours for adults. But whatever your age is, it’s important to get enough sleep each day to keep yourself fit and healthy.
Exercise Whenever Possible
Getting a good workout is another way for you to take care of yourself. You should avoid lounging on the couch the whole day eating a bag of chips while watching TV. Exercising keeps your body healthy and allows you to avoid the risk of chronic health issues. It also releases endorphins that help lift your mood.
Regular exercise also enhances your focus and allows you to sleep better at night. You will also notice that you’ll have a higher energy level, and your mood becomes better. People who exercise have a lower rate of depression. This makes exercising a good way for you to take care of yourself.
Moreover, exercise lowers blood pressure and reduces body fat. With this, you’ll also feel better when you see yourself in the mirror. You’ll also note that your muscle tone has improved along with your strength.
Have a Proper Diet
Nutritionists always recommend having a well-balanced diet. The pandemic has only highlighted its importance since good nutrition helps support your immune system. With this in mind, you should make sure to plan your grocery list before you go out to buy essential supplies for the house.
Make sure to cover all the essentials to allow you to have a well-balanced meal every day. While you can have some chips occasionally, you should avoid eating junk food mindlessly. Try to be more conscious about what you’re eating. Besides ensuring you’ll remain healthy, you’ll also feel better about yourself, especially if you combine a good diet with exercise and enough sleep.
Give Yourself a Spa Treatment
Self-care is not limited to diet and exercise. It also includes taking care of your appearance. You can pamper yourself in the comfort of your home. Since luxury spas may still be closed, you can recreate the spa experience in your home.
You can look for a good space in the house to stimulate your senses using scented candles. Wiping down the area using a cloth with a few drops of essential oil can further enhance the area’s ambiance. Moreover, you can also use aromatherapy to help you relax and drive away any bad feelings you may have due to the situation.
If you’re not satisfied, you can also go to the nearest dermatology clinic to get some skin treatment to make you look great. Just make sure to practice proper health protocols when you leave and return to the house.
Start a Garden at Home
When the pandemic started, people started emptying supermarket shelves and sparked fears of a food shortage. Due to this, people started gardens at home to ensure they have a food supply if a shortage does occur. While the pandemic did affect the food supply chain, it has remained resilient as the supply of fruits and vegetables wasn’t disrupted.
While this is good news, you can still start your own garden at home, mainly for self-care purposes. Studies have shown that gardening is good for your mental health. It can help boost your mood. It also calms you during stressful events, such as the pandemic. Moreover, gardening also helps ward off diseases since you’ll be out under the sun getting the vitamin D you need while tending to your garden.
The pandemic has upset our lives and changed the way we live. This makes it essential for us to ensure we take care of ourselves until the all-clear sign is raised and everything goes back to normal.
