Staying Healthy Through Self-Quarantine by Katie H.

Photo by Brooke Lark

Now that you’re spending more time indoors, you may feel challenged to keep up with your daily routines. Unfortunately, this can wreak havoc on both your physical and mental health. To stay as healthy as possible while practicing self-isolation, here are a few important steps to take note of!

Drink Water In Between Meals

One of the biggest reasons people snack is due to boredom or mindlessness. A bag of chips or a bowl of cookies are easy treats to overindulge on when you’re not actively thinking about it. Along with this, many people confuse being hungry with being thirsty, so they overeat when their body is really asking for more water. Drinking water in between meals and before meals will help curb feelings of hunger, keep you hydrated, and aid digestion.

Treat Yourself with Self-Care

Practicing self-care is incredibly important for your health. This should be a time where you slow down, relax, and tend to your personal needs. To determine what you should do, first assess where you could use some extra TLC. Maybe what you need is a night of your favorite guilty pleasure paired with self-care products. Watch your ideal television show with a face mask on and follow with skin-care productsto revive your complexion. Or, you can practice self-care by having some alone time, reading a book, doing your laundry, or anything else that helps bring you peace. 

Get Some Fresh Air

While you may not be able to do all your typical outdoor activities, for the time being, it’s still an excellent idea to get some fresh air. There are plenty of benefits of being outdoors, and can even relieve you of that dreaded cabin fever! Consider taking up a new hobby of gardening, a DIY home improvement project, or even just going for a walk around the block. No matter what you decide, taking yourself outside will improve your mood, and make your social distancing a little more enjoyable. 

Eat Mindfully

With endless time and feelings of boredom, it can feel nearly impossible to eat healthy all of the time. There’s no point in beating yourself up over your diet, but there are some tips and tricks you can try to eat more mindfully. First, pay attention to what you’re eating asyou’re eating it. It’s important to never skip any meals because this can actually cause you to overeat later. Additionally, to combat overeating, make sure to pack healthy snacks for when you’re hungry throughout the day. And, lastly, eat the healthiest things in your fridge first. That way, you’re filling up on more nutritious foods first and leaving a smaller amount of room for the less healthy treats. 

Protect Your Immune System

The spring season quickly becomes a breeding ground for many common illnesses. The likeliness of catching the flu and common cold increases at this time each year. Your body’s immune system will need a strong boost in order to protect itself. Begin by taking a daily vitamin that contains vitamins A, E, and K. These will help build your immune system to consistently defend off getting ill. Also, you’ll want to wash your hands every time you get home, before eating, and after using public facilities. This is especially imperative if you’re someone who constantly touches their face, bites their nails, or rubs their eyes. 

Exercise in the Morning

We’ve all had those days where we intended to work out, but once it’s time to actually go do it, all motivation gets lost. To ensure you don’t lose momentum with your workout plans, start exercising in the morning if you don’t already. This not only saves you time because you don’t have to shower twice during the day, but it’ll also limit your ability to think of an excuse of why not to go. Once you’re in the routine of working out in the morning for a few weeks, it’ll feel natural. You’ll begin your morning on a positive note and maintain more energy throughout your day.

Declutter and Clean

Having a clean and decluttered space is essential for both your physical and mental well-being. As mentioned earlier, this time of year is notorious for causing unwanted illnesses, so thoroughly sanitizing your space regularly is crucial. Work on cleaning your often-used spaces once a week and clean your less-used spaces biweekly or monthly. Likewise, decluttering and organizing will also help decrease feelings of anxiety and promote productivity and comfort in your space. Start by going through areas where clutter seems to pile up, such as your closet, junk drawers, desk, and under your bed. Once those areas are complete, keeping your area organized will be much easier.