April 9 2020
It seems so torturous that we have all this beautiful Autumnal weather and we aren’t allowed to go out and enjoy it all together. Combine that with everyone being at home to work and study and things are starting to get a little crazy.
Fear not! We have put together some tips on surviving isolation and keeping you feeling physically and mentally healthy through this tough time.
We have split this advice up into sections with links to useful reading where it is available. Happy reading …
KEEP MOVING THROUGHOUT THE DAY
It is important to keep moving throughout the day when you are isolated to a smaller geographical area than you are used to.
We did an article previously on posture which you can read HERE. One of the key points with staying pain free throughout your day is being active regularly. The saying “the next posture is your best posture” has never been so important.
Regularly getting up for a walk around the yard or around the house will help give you a physical break from aggravating your body from sustained postures and also give you a mental break from whatever task you are completing.
It doesn’t have to be any crazy type of exercise, just move around and move your limbs and spine for a couple of minutes every 45 – 60 minutes.
USEFUL LINKS
What is the Perfect Posture Article
Isolation Exercises – Keeping You Moving
FIND TIME TO GET OUTSIDE AND FOR EXERCISE
Working within the Federal and state government guidelines it is important to try and get outside and keep you exercising.
Getting outside into your own yard is very safe and a good way of breaking up your day and also a chance to soak in the last of the sunny autumn days!
You also don’t want to lose fitness or your capacity for exercise with gyms closed. Go for a walk or run outside. Go for a bike ride. Do a set of exercises as a home workout. Find a way to try and get 30 minutes of physical activity in each day.
Our Physios Matt and Sam have filmed a few exercises that you could try …?
USEFUL LINKS
Isolation Exercises – Keeping You Moving
TRY AND CREATE AND STICK TO A STRUCTURE IN YOUR DAY
Structure allows for us to maintain momentum and motivation. A lot of people are struggling with feelings of loss, scared for their future and also scared for their health. Having a structure to your day can keep you working towards meaningful goals and keep you from feeling overwhelmed with the current situation.
Using a diary or planner can help you structure your day so that you are being effective and doing things that are meaningful and also keep you mentally healthy.
Make sure you structure in activities that positively effect your mental wellbeing. Hobbies you like or activities that you get joy from. Include trying to connect with friends with phone calls, texts or video calls to stay connected.
SETUP YOUR HOME OFFICE CORRECTLY
A lot of people are having to set up workstations from home and some homes are more equipped for this than others in terms or appropriate workstation setups. Some homes are setting up multiple stations with school and uni students working from home as well as parents!
Here are a couple of quick tips to home office setup;
- Setup a dedicated space – resist the urge to do all of your work from the couch! You can still work in your moccasins but setup a regular station with a seat and desk. This helps as a mental setup that it is your “workplace” for now as well as being ergonomically sound
- Get the screen the right height – most screens should be elevated off the desk so that the screen is at your eye level. This changes the angle of your neck and avoids unnecessary stress and strain. If working on a laptop, buy or borrow a separate keyboard and prop the laptop up on the White Pages you have no use for!!
- Ensure you are sitting close and you have a comfortable head and neck posture – we have written about this in our posture article and the photo below comes from it. Make sure you aren’t poking your head forward, you aren’t reaching a long way for your mouse and you utilise a foot rest if you need to correct your hip and knee angles
- Take regular breaks – we mentioned it earlier in this article but take breaks every 45 – 60 minutes to avoid overloading your postural muscles and joints.
Photo courtesy of The Conversation
USE TECHNOLOGY TO STAY CONNECTED
Whilst we can’t physically go and see our friends and family like we would like, there are lots of different ways that we can stay connected.
There are a number of apps on phones and computers that you can use to stay connected with your friends.
Using products like FaceTime on Apple products or Skype or Zoom allows for live streamed video conversations where you can chat, have a drink or read a book to your grandchildren!
Put these chats as meetings into your daily schedule and look forward to them as breaks in your day.
MAINTAIN SLEEP AND GOOD NUTRITION
Getting adequate sleep and nutrition are essential to keeping good physical and mental health. Trry and have a god sleep routine that allows you to feel well rested with all the changes going on around you. Below is an excellent infographic on understanding and getting the most out of sleep.
Credit Yann Le Meur from https://ylmsportscience.com/2020/03/29/10-tips-to-maintain-a-healthy-sleep-routine-during-the-quarantine-by-shona-halson-phd-recovery-expert/
READ CREDIBLE INFORMATION AND TUNE OUT FROM THE REST
There is more information articles and videos on the coronavirus created every day than we are able to consume. Some of the information that we consume is from credible experts but unfortunately a lot of it is not correct and can cause unnecessary stress.
The best advice is suggesting that we all read the relevant government websites for advice and listen to qualified professionals in health and take little notice of information that is causing you to increase anxiety or concern.
We will all have various levels of tolerance fore hearing and reading about the events of the world. Take in whatever doesn’t cause you to increase anxiety or worry and stick to your schedule of work and interests that keep you connected.
We hope this article has given you some tips about staying healthy during this difficult time. At Mitcham Rehab and Marion Sports Physio we are here for you. Please call if you think we can help with anything.
Until next time …
USEFUL LINKS
Headspace – an excellent mental health resource for young people
SA Health Coronavirus Website – the most credible advice for South Australians for coroniavirus
