NorfolkWire shares tips for staying healthy during lockdown

News about the Coronavirus seems to be on every single channel and a constant discussion point on social media.  It has affected all aspects of our lives, leaving many of us working from home, isolated from people we love and fearful for those who have to go to work every day.

It is (potentially) a long road ahead, and all of us will face difficulties in various ways.  But it is also an opportunity to sit back, reconnect, catch a breath and reflect on life’s priorities.

Here at Norfolkwire, we have put together a list of best practices to follow to ensure we take care of ourselves and our families during lockdown.

Sleep Well

Sleep is essential for our bodies to repair cells, clear toxins, consolidate our memories and process information. There’s good evidence that sleep deprivation can have major impacts on our health — negatively affecting our psychological wellbeing, concentration and even our emotional intelligence.

Going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day can help maintain a sense of normality, and help you follow through with plans.

If you’re finding it difficult to get to sleep because you’re lying awake worrying, try to limit your consumption of the news before bed. It can also be helpful to reduce your exposure to screens in the evening, as blue light can disrupt our sleep quality.

Eat Well

Eating healthily is important not only for our physical health, but our psychological wellbeing. So there has never been a better time to beef up your cooking skills, as many health officials are recommending that you eat and cook at home right now to protect your health.

The best foods are complex carbohydrates, found in fruit, vegetables and whole grains. These provide important nourishment for our brains and they slowly release energy, which stabilises our moods.

B vitamins, found in green vegetables like broccoli and spinach, beans, bananas, eggs, poultry, fish and beetroot, are important for our brain and can help to prevent or reduce depression. Check out some foods that can help build your immune system!

The World Health Organization (WHO) is keen to remind us not to use smoking, alcohol or other drugs to deal with your emotions. They recommend speaking to a health worker or counsellor if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
For healthy recipes visit the BBC Good Food website or explore healthy Facebook groups or healthy meal ideas on Pinterest, for example.

If you prefer a real cookbook then A pinch of Nom and Jamie’s 5 Ingredients recipe books come highly recommended – its’ all about staying healthy!

Exercise

Exercise releases chemicals in the body that make us feel good, and it’s also been linked to better sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved memory and cognition.

Team sports may be off the agenda, but you can certainly still exercise on your own. Moderate movement for 30 minutes per day, is suggested by the WHO. This could be a dance party in your own home, sports day with your kids, or your own choice of exercises.

If you need inspiration, many fitness instructors are offering their classes online, some of them for free. Here are a few examples, but there are lots more out there so do take a look:

• Shreddy
• NHS Fitness Studio
• Oti Mubuse’s dance classes
• Royal Academy of Dance at home
• Ciara London
• Peloton

Going outdoors, even briefly, has been shown to improve people’s state of mind. Research suggests just two hours a week in nature is linked with better health and wellbeing.

Relax

While it might seem like the world is only talking about one topic right now, enforced social isolation could also provide the perfect opportunity for many people to take a break. Treat yourself to a home-based spa and enjoy the hobbies you don’t normally have time for – like gardening, cooking, painting, puzzles, craft, sewing, yoga, decorating, reading..?

Connect

Now more than ever, we need our friends. Evidence shows that social connectivity is as important for our health as diet, movement and sleep.

Not all social interactions have to be face-to-face to be meaningful. Try recreating the things you enjoy through video calls — you could organise a virtual dinner, a quiz night or do an activity together via apps like Zoom, Houseparty or good old MS Teams

We will be back next week with more tips to get you through the week.