COVID-19 has quickly changed all of our day-to-day lives and maintaining a sense of health and wellness can be difficult under current circumstances. It’s easy to let all of the stress and panic become overwhelming.
There’s still a lot you can do, whether you are stuck at home or not, to continue to make your physical and mental health a priority. Whether it’s exploring your options for virtual therapy to manage stress and anxiety, making a consistent plan to prioritize your health and hygiene, or creating a simple exercise program, you can do plenty without even leaving your house.
Read on to discover five ways you can improve your health and stay sane during COVID-19.
1. Make sure you have effective hygiene and health plan.
We’ve all heard “wash your hands,” but hygiene is about more than just handwashing. Get into the habit of disinfecting shared surfaces within your home, wiping down door handles and countertops especially.
In addition to that, while washing your hands is preferable to using an antibacterial liquid, you should still be disinfecting your hands as much as possible when you’re not at home.
While there’s no perfect solution, it can also provide peace of mind to know you’re covering your bases.
2. Connect with friends and family virtually.
Social distancing and shelter-in-place orders make it almost impossible to see your friends and family in the way you’re accustomed to if you don’t live with them.
Having conversations and social relationships is a necessary part of our lives and it’s not something we should abandon just because of COVID-19. There are more ways than ever to connect virtually with the people you love.
3. Find physical activities to do at home.
Nobody is saying you can’t binge the latest Netflix documentary or play video games for a while, but don’t fall into a sedentary lifestyle.
It’s not about preventing weight gain, it’s about keeping yourself moving and physically engaged. Your body still needs to be active and there are plenty of ways you can get in shape or stay in shape at home.
There are mobile apps with virtual workouts you can download, yoga teachers and personal trainers providing digital classes on Instagram, or you can just do it the old fashioned way and go for a walk or a jog.
4. Make sure you can obtain your prescription medications.
The logistics of keeping your prescriptions current, especially in a crisis like this, can be tough. If you’re taking a psychiatric medication, your therapist will likely want you to continue to see them through the pandemic.
Engaging with a virtual therapist network can help connect you to a mental health professional if your therapist isn’t offering remote care at the time. Saving money is more important now than ever, so make sure you look into a pharmacy discount card if you don’t already have one.
Even if you have health insurance, purchasing medication at a discounted price with a pharmacy discount card can sometimes end up being less expensive. No matter what your solution is, don’t skip out on medication you need.
5. Take care of your mental health.
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of caring for your mental health in a crisis like this. Using a mobile app or online therapy might be new to many, but these are important lifelines for anyone who needs to continue to receive medical advice from their doctor in a difficult time.
A virtual therapist can bridge the gap while we can’t engage in person. Most insurance plans have expanded to cover telemedicine and therapy via video chat, even if you’re using Medicare or Medicaid.
If you don’t have insurance, virtual therapy can also be less expensive than its in-person alternatives. Making an appointment is as easy as sending a text message. Mental health professionals understand that now is the worst possible time to stop seeing a therapist if you need one.
It can be challenging to provide comprehensive mental health services during a pandemic, but you’ve got to keep a positive attitude.
It’s impossible to maintain the same lifestyle you had before during COVID-19, but there are ways you can make sure you’re caring for yourself and giving your body the exercise and care it needs to get through this.
Make time for your friends and family using Facetime or Skype, keep your body and mind healthy, and listen to all warnings from professionals about how to monitor your hygiene.
Whether or not you currently see a therapist, seeking out virtual therapy can provide comfort and stability for anyone struggling with their mental health.
Whether you need psychiatric drugs or a prescription for something separate, make sure you have a way to continue accessing your medication right now. We’re all in this together and the only way we’ll make it is to take care of ourselves and each other.
About The Author:
Kyle Moore is a South African writer with a love of all things natural! When he isn’t spending time wandering a forest, he’s finding ways to live his best life.
