To stay healthy in a pandemic is a fairly important goal. As our area faces a dramatic upswing of positive cases, it’s more important than ever to engage in good health practices to boost the immune system and stay well.
Stay Active
The easiest way to get or injured is by pushing yourself beyond the limits. In a lot of cases, many of us have extra time on our hands, and we’ve been filling it with extra miles and workouts. Physical fitness has been touted as a great way to stay ahead of any ailments, and it’s more important than ever to keep it up! Run, bike, swim, row, hike, lift. Do whatever it takes to break a sweat and keep moving.
Don’t Push It
Of course, the easiest way to get or injured is by pushing yourself beyond the limits. In a lot of cases, many of us have extra time on our hands, and we’ve been filling it with more miles and harder workouts. That’s great, but be smart. Make sure you’re getting sufficient cross and strength training. Definitely challenge yourself but listen to your body, too.
Get Sufficient Sleep
Lack of sleep can easily weaken the immune system and lead to all sorts of health issues. Anxiety, stress, excessive screen time, and poor diet can all lead to insufficient sleep, so do your best to mitigate the hurdles where you can. Aim for a reasonable bedtime, step away from your devices about an hour before you want to go to sleep, and do your best to get solid rest.
Eat (and Drink) Well
I’m the first to admit falling prey to stress eating when things are out of my control. Snack cakes often make my grocery list (Yum. Snack Cakes). However, now, more than ever, it’s important to fuel with all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals we can get our hands on. Also, make sure to drink enough water. Again, I’ve had more than my share of extra glasses of wine since March. It’s perfectly ok, but good hydration makes it that much easier to stay healthy in a pandemic.
Take Recovery Seriously
Even though many businesses are open, massages and PT might be a little harder to come by with social distancing guidelines. With that in mind, it’s more important than ever to care for your joints and muscles. Make use of compression, ice, stretching, and rolling. Take rest days. Cross train. Be good to your body so it can continue being good to you.
What are your tips for staying healthy in a pandemic?
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I love this list, Jenn.
Your last point really resonates with me. I need to pay attention that I stretch, foam roll and relax enough. I tend to go all out and not rest enough. And then, obviously, get injured in the process.
Catrina recently posted…Non-Techie Runs
It’s so important and yet so hard to remember and make time for. I know I need to be better about it.
runswithpugs recently posted…week 26 (2020): regressions, setbacks + back to square one
Like you, I am trying to keep my activities up without overdoing it. I do admit that I could be better w my recovery days. I am so tight right now. Good tips!
I don’t feel too tight, but I do need to watch my ankle and leg. Some days, it’s just so stiff, and the rainy summer weather doesn’t help.
I have made recovery an important thing this year, even before COVID-19 hit. I don’t take many total rest days, because my body does better with SOME movement. I do have a few non-running days, and usually one of those (if not a couple, depending on the week) is very low-maintenance…not even strength work. I do some stretching after my workouts, and have been better disciplined about doing an actual warm-up routine. Now, if I could just convince my body to sleep a little more…
I also feel like I do better with some activity, even if just mentally and emotionally. I do need to figure out more sleep. I’ve started waking up for the day at 5AM again, and that’s no good for anyone.
Ugh, COVID can just GO AWAY NOW!!!! I hope you guys see a decline of cases soon. And I hope we do, too…
Same, girl. Same.
Great reminders! I’ve definitely been running more and sleeping less over the past few months. I even find myself not hydrating as well as I should throughout the day. Oh and there may have been just a few extra glasses of wine:)
I support wine 100%. But I went from one glass a week at most, to a glass every other day, unless there was an event, in which case… who knows. I am also good for all the ice cream. But we do have to take care of ourselves, now more so than ever.
Sleep and recovery are vital for me, especially since stress is higher during the pandemic. Great tips!
I have been losing sleep due to multiple external stressors and I definitely need to take a break. I’m going for a nap as soon as I finish responding to comments. I’m just whipped.
I think the biggest problem with sleep for me is Bandit. He likes to get under the covers . . . out from under . . . under . . . and so on.He can’t seem to do it on his own, and if I don’t lift the covers for him, he just walks right up me.
I really think now is a great time to lay off #allthemiles — unless that is truly keeping the person sane. But that also doesn’t mean being a slug. 🙂 As always, it’s a super thin line.
I’ve been pondering this question lately, and I must say, I’m thoroughly confused on what the right thing to do is!
I. Miss. Sleeping with a dog. Once Molly and Oscar passed, Mr PugRunner said nope. No more. Once Luna chills out a little, I am going to sneak her in. I can’t handle not having one there.
i don’t know if there are right answers to anything right now. It’s super frustrating.
I think most importantly is to be positive. 2020 sucks. So it’s easy to think about all the things we cannot do. Doesn’t help.
We are not sick. We can move, etc.
This will end.
You are absolutely right. We do have so many things going for us. We are incredibly lucky.
These are all such great tips! We need to be as healthy as we can be so in case we do pick up the corona virus our immune system is strong and we can fight it off.