by FastMed Urgent Care
As the time spent apart from family and friends increases, social distancing can begin to take a toll on both our mental and physical health. Not only is the proximity and space left between us and our loved ones a new phenomenon we’re having to navigate through, but we’re also experiencing the loss of our daily routines including the freedom to go about our day how we prefer and the confidence we have on our financial and job security. Altogether, these drastic changes can impact our health in a number of ways, so how can we combat and adjust to maintain our physical and mental well-being?
Practice Daily Exercise
First and foremost, it’s important to move and if you can, it’s recommended to do so outside to receive Vitamin D at the same time. Most people are used to being on the go throughout their workday compared to being confined and stuck at home so to help incorporate as much as you can of your normal routine, it’s important to go on walks around the neighborhood, runs outside, participate in an at-home workout, etc. to keep the body moving.
Utilize Technology to Keep in Touch
Oxytocin, the hormone secreted when we bond socially with others, is scarce given the new boundaries we must adhere to, and group activities that keep us active like hiking and work-out classes are also impossible to partake in. Because we’ve been stripped of our normal daily interactions with peers, friends, and family, it’s important to take advantage of the video options we have such as FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, Houseparty, and others to keep in touch. If you’re limited to phone calls, schedule weekly calls with your inner circle so your communication remains constant. The consistent check-ins with others will help you foster relationships, keep spirits high, and prevent the feeling of isolation.
Pay Attention to Your Eating & Drinking Habits
Now more than ever, while body movement is lower than normal, it is the time to be conscious about what you’re eating and drinking on a daily basis. This is a great time to try new recipes that involve fresh, whole foods that provide the body with nutrients. Reevaluate your snacking – think about what you can substitute your cookies or chips and dip to something else you may enjoy like fruits, hummus, yogurt, smoothies, protein bars, etc. Also, keep yourself accountable for how much water you’re drinking too, don’t let that slack since you’re comfortable at home.
Keep up with Your Hygiene
While abiding the social distancing rules, most of us are stuck at home so we tend to naturally lack our daily hygiene practices. There’s a common mentality of there’s no one besides our family we’re trying to impress so why put in the extra effort, but when we keep up with daily hygiene practices, it’s proven that we tend to be more productive throughout the day and overall, feel better. Generally, this is a fairly negative time so it’s important to do ourselves a favor and keep up with our daily routine to help stay positive.
Stimulate Your Brain With Activities
For most, we have more time on our hands than we know what to do with. Free time seems infinite so try to limit screen time and fill your time with activities that stimulate your brain which helps with your overall mental and emotional wellbeing. Examples of this include reading, puzzles, painting or other arts and crafts, journaling, and organizing.
These tips are recommended to help those with the stress and loss of normalcy around the coronavirus epidemic. However, If you or a loved one exhibits persistent or worsening signs of anxiety, depression, hopelessness or substance abuse, you can reach out to your health provider or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential help 24-7.
About FastMed Urgent Care
FastMed Urgent Care owns and operates more than 100 clinics in North Carolina, Arizona and Texas that provide a broad range of acute/episodic and preventive healthcare services 365 days a year. FastMed also provides workers’ compensation and other occupational health services at all its clinics, and family and sports medicine services at select locations. FastMed has successfully treated more than 6 million patients and is the only independent urgent care operator in North Carolina, Arizona, and Texas to be awarded The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for quality, safety and infection control in ambulatory healthcare. For more information about locations, services, hours of operation, insurance, and prices, visit www.fastmed.com.
