Five Things to Remember for a Healthy 2021

Using masks? Check. Stocked up on handwash and sanitizer? Ages ago. Practicing social distancing and buying groceries in bulk? Like lives depend on it.

The Covid-19 pandemic has made all of us realize the necessity of prioritizing our well-being, be it mental, physical, or emotional. Navigating the realm of health has become quite the challenge with all sorts of information (and misinformation!) from different sources floating about. Here we have put together a handy list of things that you absolutely cannot overlook when it comes to staying healthy this year, so read on!

Don’t skip meals

The advent of the New Year sees people everywhere making resolutions, the most common of which is related to weight loss. While it’s great if you want to lose weight or meet other fitness goals, it is important to take care of your nutrition as well. Skipping meals, especially breakfast, and drastically cutting calories have a greater negative impact on your health than you might expect. Instead, choose foods that are nutrient-dense and high in protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Incorporating natural immunity boosting foods and anti-inflammatories like ginger and turmeric are also great options to consider.

Also, Read Benefits of Doing Yoga Regularly

Prioritize Exercise

Don’t just bank upon dieting to meet your health goals and instead also exercise regularly during the week. Switch it up by alternating between light cardio, bodyweight-based strength training, aerobics, pilates, and yoga— all while staying home of course. If you live in a low-risk area, you could even consider early morning brisk walks.

Screen time and sleep

It is very easy to neglect the harmful effects of long exposure to digital screens, which have become an inalienable part of life in lockdown. In addition to causing eye strain and lowing attention span, laptops, smartphones, and TV screens are also known to produce harmful blue light. This has been scientifically proven to accelerate the degeneration of retinal cells which ultimately causes loss of vision, and it has also been linked to irregular sleep cycles. We suggest staying away from screens for at least a full hour before going to bed to ensure sound sleep. That said, it is also crucial that you get a solid 8 hours of sleep at night to keep those grey cells running smoothly.

Mental Health

It goes without saying that this pandemic has been unprecedented in most of our lives. Alienated and isolated from everybody else, the lockdown woes have crept up on all of us at some point, so you must stay vigilant about your mental health. Engage yourself in an interesting hobby, reconnect with family and friends, equip yourself to deal with stress, or practice mindfulness and meditation to keep the blues at bay.  

Emotional well-being

This turbulent time has also left us grappling with a spectrum of emotions from good to bad. With the beginning of a new year and a new time, it is important to process, validate, and talk about all these emotions, maintain a positive outlook and connect to people with enthusiasm and optimism.