How to cope with Lockdown 3
Here in the UK, we're a week into our third national lockdown. We all need a cycle of regular activity to stay positive maintain resilience and retain our energy levels, which has been difficult lately with everything that's going on around us, leaving us feeling anxious for the future.
The good news is every cloud has a silver lining and the Covid-19 vaccine roll out has started, bringing us hope for a better 2021.
And so, until the spread of Covid is under control and to keep the Winter Blues at bay, I've decided that the best way to cope and get through this time around is to make an effort to keep my body moving and my mind still.
Here's my top 3 things to do to stay happy during
the Winter Lockdown
1. Regular Exercise
Exercise releases endorphins, the "happy" hormone which we're all a bit starved of at the moment especially on colder and shorter days.
As a regular gym-goer, I'm missing the social side of exercise, but I'm lucky to be married to a Fitness Instructor who has a selection of home gym equipment which we can use at home whilst the gym is closed.
If you're short of space like us, he recommends an exercise mat to start, kettlebell/dumbbells, skipping rope, resistance bands. Check out Pinterest or YouTube for a suitable work out plan.
He also reminded me that:
It's scientifically proven that nothing beats the great outdoors for our wellbeing and if possible a daily walk/run can work wonders for our minds and bodies.
So, if you don't mind braving the cold - wrap up and go for it. An added bonus, according to the NHS website is that even a brisk short 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.
2. At Home Spa Days
Just because your normal routine has changed does not mean you need to stop doing the little things that bring you joy and help you relax.
Light a candle, run a bath, put on your favourite podcast or audio book and just relax and take care of you.
Taking a warm bath provides an increasingly rare chance to take a break from our busy lives and have a bit of “me time”. Just a few precious minutes of peace, tranquillity and solitude can be a sanctuary when you're feeling stressed, tired or anxious and beneficial for overall wellness.
Adding mineral rich bath salts to your bath water can be therapeutic, especially combined with relaxing and stress reducing pure essential oils such as lavender. Sea salt can naturally promote relaxation, as well as relieve inflammation and sports injuries.
Transform your bathroom into a private atmospheric home spa by keeping the bathroom door shut while you run your bath and turn off the extractor fan. This will allow the steam from the bath to fill the room and enhance the aromatherapy benefits of the essential oils in the bath salts. Plus the steam will help to keep your bathroom and you nice and warm!
3. Avoiding overwhelm
Exposure to frequent news updates isn't a good idea if/when you're already feeling anxious or stressed. Whilst it's good to stay informed, to avoid overwhelm, try watching the national news just once a day and resisting the temptation to click on and devour the hundreds of news updates which constantly pop up on your social media news feed.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Stay safe ...
Sharron
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