Safer at home orders have presented us with quite a few physical health related challenges.
Gyms, studios, and other physical activity related centers are closed and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Sleep routines has been thrown off due to abrupt schedule changes and the insomnia that accompanies intense stress and fear.
And we cannot forget to mention the ongoing issues of isolation snacking (cue the endless Tostitos chips and salsa.)
Although it certainty feels as though so much is out of out control, we still can choose to make our physical health a priority with creativity, new habit formation, and the grace to allow flexibility.
We take care of our physical health by focusing on the daily actions that protect and enhance our body’s functioning in it’s current and future states. These focused actions aren’t always the easy choice, but they are necessary to live a full and exceptional life.
As part of the holistic wellness series, this article will focus on three of the key concepts in the physical health domain: sleep hygiene, physical activity, and healthy eating. If you are interested, keep reading Holistic Wellness Series – Physical Health to learn more.
Sleep Hygiene
All its takes in one restless night to truly appreciate the beauty of a sound sleep.
With everything going on right now, it is likely that your sleep cycle ranges from slightly thrown off to complete disarray. Although sleep my not be your top priority at the moment, it’s a very important physical health need that deserves your attention. First, lets start with a self assessment.
- How long on average are you sleeping each night?
- Do you fall asleep easily or are you tossing and turning for a while?
- Do you wake up with a pep in your step or are you groggy?
With your answers in mind, lets review the research.
According to the National Sleep Foundation adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night. The quality of your sleep matters as well. Lack of and poor quality sleep is linked to cancer, heart disease, depression/anxiety, and obesity .
lack of sleep also impacts our cognitive functions including focus and memory.
What is especially relevant now, is a good night of quality sleep boosts our immunity to bacterial and viral infections.
With all this in mind, there are many things we can do to set ourselves up for success in the sleep department. Here are of few of my favorite tips to get a restful, 7-9 hours of quality sleep that we all need and crave.
Sleep Hygiene Tips
- Develop a regular sleep-wake cycle also know as our circadian rhythm. This can be done by waking up and going to bed at the same time everyday (event the weekends folks).
- Limit caffeine after 2:00pm. This includes coffee, caffeinated teas, pre-workout, soft drinks, etc.
- Change into bedtime clothing. It is tempting to stay in your pj’s all day long right now, but at least move from day pj’s to night pj’s.
- Limit technology 30-60 mins before bed.
- Keep electronics out of the bedroom/on silent (e-reader with no blue light)
- Research helpful sleep supplements such as magnesium, gaba, and sleep inducing teas such as lavender and sleepy time.
- De-stress before sleep with meditation, breath work, yoga/light stretching or journaling.
- Set up the environments by keeping the bedroom sleep, sex, and light reading/journaling online.
- Don’t automatically get up and watch TV or look at your phone if you wake up in the middle of the night. Instead, first try light reading, journaling your thoughts, or meditating help you fall back asleep.
- No pets in bed (Sorry Roi, no bedtime snuggles).
Physical Activity
Let’s get physical…physical.
For the purpose of this article, I’m going to use the term physical activity instead of exercise.
Physical activity is a term which is all inclusive to any movements that our muscles carry out which require energy. The term includes classic exercises such as lifting weights, biking, and running, but it can also include activities typically not classified as exercise including gardening, household chores, and active transportation.
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, it is recommend that adults regularly clock in 2.5-5 hours of physical activity every week. Folks who are physically active on a regular basis have lower physical health complications including heart disease, diabetes, stoke, and cancer.
Not to mention, the emotional health benefits. Regular exercise is shown to reduces depression and ease anxiety through the release of feel good hormones including serotonin and dopamine. When I’m feeling crappy, one of the first things I do is get my sweat on to boost my mood.
If gyms closing was an extremely difficult hit to take and your going into fitness withdraw, I feel you.
Humans are creatures of habits and nothing about these past few weeks have been easy. Since our options are limited right now, here are a few creative ways we can get those 5 hours of physical activity in every week.
Online Resources
Here are my go to online workouts that you can pop on your lap top/TV and get a great workout in the comfort and safety of your own home.
At Home Equipment
Not everyone has the luxury of an indoor gym with fitness equipment. If you are like me, your living room as now become you workout hub. With some creativity and at home workout equipment I have been able to get my 5 hours of physical activity in at home.
Here are three pieces of relatively in expense at home equipment that I have found useful.
- Yoga Mat for stretching, planks, sit-ups, oh and of course..for yoga.
- Booty Band to target your lower back, glutes, guads, hammies and calfs.
- Resistance Bands Set because who can afford an at-home weight rack?
Dumbbells are pretty expensive to buy, but with a little creativity home supplies such as cans of food and jugs of water can be a simple substitute.
Running/Walking/Biking
If you city/town is still allowing outdoor exercise, running and walking could be the perfect activity to pick up right now. Of course while maintaining 6 ft of distance at all times. I love running and have shared my love for running the blog previously. Here are a few apps that I have found extremely helpful during my running journey.
Also, check out this great article all about running safely during Covid-19.
Housework and Chores
What if you are not a fan of exercising, but you love working in your garden or keeping your home in tip-top shape. Your physical activity may be slightly less structured, but just as valid. Plan each day to spend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity by preform a chore or housework that needs to be done anyways. My favorites are vacuuming and mopping. I usually work up a good sweat doing these chores, and I feel accomplished afterwards.
Limit Sedentary Behavior
Although we may able to binge as much Netflix as we would like, it is important to be mindful of how long we are sitting down for. Try scheduling regular movement breaks into you day and set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself to do them.
Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is a comprehensive awareness of how the food and drinks we consume affect us.
It is all about providing our bodies with the nutrients that keep us feeling energized and good all day long.
For instance, I know that eating a big bowl of ice cream probably tastes amazing in the moment, but how do you feel 30 minutes afterwards?
My tummy hurts just thinking about it.
While a green salad with a chicken breast may not be as inciting, I know that after I eat it I will have the focus and energy needed to accomplish what I want to do.
Stay at home orders have again presented us with quite a few challenged with regards to healthy eating. The temptation to binge eat all of the food in our house is ever present, and limited food options may place a financial strain on you and your family if you are ordering takeout or UberEats a few times a week.
The two best things we can do at this time are setting up the environment for success and shopping smart focusing on the pantry staples that will last for a while.
Set Up the Environment
- Clean up your kitchen. Take the time to go through and clean your fridge, pantry and freezer. The deep clean will free up space which you can fill it with healthier options.
- Inventory what you currently have. Look through your pantry and create of list of what you currently have. Tomatoes, dry beans, and rice may be lurking at the back of the cupboard are are super helpful staples.
- Make the healthy option the easy option. Slice up some veggies and fruits and store them in see-through containers are the front of your fridge. Have nuts and health granola for snacking readily available.
- Food Prep. One of my favorite go to snacks that you can make in bulk ahead of time is a smoothie. I recommend investing in a good blender like the Vitamix Explorian Blender I use to make mine.
Stock the Pantry
We are also challenged to reduce the frequency of our supermarket trips to limit possible exposure or transmission of the virus. Pantry staples are going to be your best friend at this time.
Before heading out to the store, make sure you have taken the time to create a list of groceries that you need. This will limit the amount of time you spend in the store, and prepare you for a successful week of healthy eating ahead.
I have linked some of my favorite resources for pantry-friendly recipes on a budget for inspiration here.
Also, try to limit the amount of junk food you bring home. Friends, I know that right now you may be feeling completely out of whack.
Comfort foods every now and then help us to feel safe a happy. Of course you can treat yourself, I’m not a monster.
Aim to make the majority (80%) of your eating choices healthy ones and then relax a little a few times a week (20%). I have linked the Canadian healthy eating guidelines. Out of all the food guidelines out there, this is my favorite and the one I try to follow most days.
