How to Stay Fit and Healthy Indoors
How to Stay Fit and Healthy Indoors
Follow our tips to keep your mind and body active during lockdown
Although the government's guidelines on staying indoors is essential in keeping us protected from the Covid virus, it has resulted in many of us being confined indoors, missing visits from our relatives and our daily routine.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, anxious and lonely during this time but there are a number of steps you can take to keep your mind and body active allowing you to sleep better and feel calmer until you can meet with your family and friends again.
Keep Moving
Dancing to your favourite music or walking to the end of your garden and back are all great ways to stay active. Try to get out of your chair at least once each hour and if you find that difficult then try to move your arms and legs whilst seated.
Joe Wicks has a great workout for seniors on his youtube channel 10 Minute Home Workout For Seniors | The Body Coach TV and Age Concern have put together a series of exercises with detailed instructions that you can do alone in your own home even if you weren’t particularly active before lockdown. Simple keep fit home exercises for older adults
Stay Connected
Now, more than ever, it’s important that you keep in touch with your friends and family even if you can’t see them. If you’re able to access the internet then Skype, Zoom and Facetime are a great way to see your family in real time and even sending and receiving text messages and emails can make you feel less alone. If you’re not sure how it works, there’s a handy guide to follow here:
Keeping in touch using a video call
If you can’t go out and make new friends then let new friends come to you! Renegage’s call companions provide a friendly phone call at the same time every week with the same person so you can develop a relationship with them over time. Chat about your family, interests and learn about their lives without leaving your house.
If you’re feeling lonely at any time of the night or day then you can contact Silverline which provide free confidential advice and friendship to the elderly every day of the year on 0800 4 70 80 90.
Have a Routine
Sticking to a daily routine can help you feel more in control and less anxious, but this can be hard when you struggle to find activities to fill your day. Making a list each evening before you go to bed can help you sleep better and by working down the list in order and ticking off each item as you complete it, you’ll have a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day.
Try to eat at the same time every day and go to bed and wake at the same time to help your sleep pattern.
Keep Your Mind Active
Completing crosswords, sudoku and brain teasers will not only keep your mind sharp but when you solve the puzzle you’ll receive a boost of dopamine,the feel good hormone that makes us happy. If you struggle to see, then listening to an audio book or one of the many podcasts online will also give you that feel good factor.
Stay Calm
Limit your access to news which can make you feel anxious. Rather than checking the news constantly throughout the day, check twice a day and build this into your daily routine so you’re up to date with current events but not overwhelmed with negative information.
Practise Mindfulness by focussing on the positives in your life. Write a list of all that you’re grateful for and when feeling anxious close your eyes and breath deeply in through the nose and out through the mouth for a count of five until you feel more relaxed.
Finally, go easy on yourself. It’s fine to watch more TV than usual or have days when you’re feeling under the weather so don’t be disheartened if you do. There is always someone to talk to and by following our simple steps you will find the days pass much quicker until you can socialise outside again.