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Monday, April 6, 2020

Mental Health in a time of pandemic: Part II

As a continuation of my last blog post on dealing with Covid19, here is the second part of the University of Illinois-Chicago's recommendations.



Stay Active
Another thing we know from research is that physical activity releases chemicals in your brain that improve your mood. Staying active can also help you feel healthy and accomplished, and it is another way to help bring structure to your day.

-          Schedule a time of day, a duration, and physical space for your workout that has a high likelihood of happening. For example, if you’re not a morning person, it wouldn’t be wise to go for a 6am 2-hour workout. Similarly, if you typically eat at 6pm, a 6:30 workout also wouldn’t be the best idea. Shoot for a time when you have a break in your schedule, a duration that fits your pre-COVID behaviors, and a space that is conducive to working out.
-          Try one of the dozens of free workout apps or websites! This is a link to 50 (five-zero) of the best free, at-home workout sites/videos/routines. There is every type of workout you could ask for, from yoga to high intensity interval training (HIIT), to Pilates.  https://makeyourbodywork.com/how-to-exercise-at-home/
-          Instead of viewing this as a time where you are unable to be as active as you would like (i.e., go to the gym, commute to work, take walks), use this as a time to explore fitness genres you may never have tried before. Perhaps you have always gravitated toward weightlifting – give kickboxing a try. Maybe you have been a core power person – see what a HIIT workout feels like. This could easily be turned into a specific goal on your daily to-do list.
-          GO OUTSIDE. Quarantined and/or sheltered in place does not mean you can’t still walk/run/bike outside (just maintain 6 feet of distance from your neighbors). People need fresh air, and nothing makes you want to be back at home more than a little Chicago weather fatigue. Luckily it’s not too cold at this point to enjoy being outside, so take a walk on your lunch break, walk the stairs of your local park, take an animal for an extra long walk, or take a nice jog outside.

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