Tips on staying happy and healthy when self-isolating
The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought a lot of concerns, especially around self-isolation. With the over-70’s being advised to self-isolate you may be worried about yourself or a loved one but there are a number of things you can do to help with your health and wellbeing.
Below are just a few ideas which might help during these difficult times.
Connect with people
It’s important to keep in touch with friends and family and there are now lots of ways you can do this. Video chats are a great way of keeping in touch and although initially it may seem daunting to set up, it is actually very easy. Facetime on a phone or tablet is a really quick way of connecting with friends and family. Alternatively, there are lots of other ways to video chat such as Zoom, Skype or even social media channels such as Facebook. If you aren’t comfortable with technology then make sure you keep in touch over the phone or write a letter if you are able to get someone to post it for you.
Eat well and keep hydrated
Although your appetite may reduce make sure you are eating a healthy and varied diet. A good idea is to try and plan your meals for the week rather than trying to decide what to eat each day. We all know that we should eat our 5 a day so think about this when planning meals. By planning in advance it will also assist in helping with your shopping list. If people are bringing your shopping to you make sure they leave the shopping on your doorstep to avoid face-to-face contact. Hydration is just as important as your diet with a recommendation of 6 – 8 glasses of water a day.
Get outdoors
If you are able to, make sure you get some fresh air every day. A walk in the garden, even just for a few minutes will make all the difference. If the sun is shining then why not grab a book or the paper, make yourself a drink and soak up some vitamin D – but don’t forget the sunscreen.
Exercise
It’s well known that exercise releases endorphins in the body which trigger a positive feeling in your body and can increase self-esteem. There are lots of on-line exercise classes available including chair exercises and yoga, all of which can easily be completed within the home. But simply by standing up and walking around the house every so often will help. The more you do, the easier it will get and the better you will feel.
Hobbies, both old and new
This could be the perfect opportunity to take up a new hobby or rekindle a pastime you’ve been promising yourself but never had the time. Or why not challenge yourself and learn a new skill? Perhaps learn to play an instrument, learn a new language or even set up a social media profile on Facebook. All of these will keep you busy and by asking for help from family and friends will also mean you are in contact with others. Anything to do with technology is a great way of connecting with grandchildren or younger members of the family.
So, although these are difficult times, there are lots of ways that we can stay happy, healthy and most importantly safe. If you have other ideas and suggestions which you have then we would love to hear of them so if you can, please share them with us on our Facebook pages.
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