For most of us now, since the closure of not only our university but also local pubs, restaurants, cinemas and all shops, living solely within the confines of our homes can at first appear a nightmare. Staring at the same four walls day in day out for what could be months. With the current uncertainty surrounding government response to this pandemic many of us have been left feeling hopeless and lost. This article is therefore here to give you some ideas as to what we can all be doing to take both mind and body off the current pandemic and allow ourselves this time to relax and heal.
Being confined to the house... my body was slowly reverting itself and beginning to transform into the body of an elderly woman
The major difference I immediately noticed on my first day in isolation was the lack of exercise while being confined to the house and the eventual toll that this would have on my body if I did not act. With the closure of all gyms and universities, I was no longer receiving the exercise needed for a healthy body and mind. As the days rolled by my body was slowly reverting itself and beginning to transform into the body of an elderly woman.
I knew this had to change and decided to turn to my own exercise plan. For those of you lucky enough to have exercise equipment in your homes such as a treadmill or exercise bike, then you already have a great way to keep fit. Twenty to thirty minutes of cardio everyday benefits not only the body, but also stimulates the mind. For those without these luxuries, there are plenty of ways to stayed toned in the comfort of your own home (even wearing your pyjamas if that suits you!). There are hundreds of YouTube channels available online offering countless different fitness programmes for each and every one of us. Whether you’re looking to work on that summer body (to show off to all your neighbours in the garden) or just want to keep fit, this is the place to look! Creating your own fitness plan will allow you to tailor activities to your own needs and provide a more personalised way of working out.
With the current uncertainty surrounding the length in which UK citizens will be encouraged to remain in isolation for presents yoga as the perfect opportunity to focus on the positives
If this isn’t really your cup of tea, then I have just the remedy! Yoga has been around for at least 5,000 years where it was developed in the Sarasvati civilisation in Northern India and has since grown in popularity. Throughout my time at university, I turned to yoga as a saving grace in stressful situations, allowing time to work on both body and mind. Yoga is a calming technique used by thousands to focus their mind on the present and thus dispel all negative aspects in our thoughts. With the current uncertainty surrounding the length in which UK citizens will be encouraged to remain in isolation for presents yoga as the perfect opportunity to take some time, even just twenty minutes of your day, to being present and focusing on the positive elements of home isolation. Whether you are a beginner or professional yogi, this is the perfect way to relax and unwind.
As we are approaching April, many of us probably share the same anxieties as to how long this pandemic will last and the impact that this will have on our futures, but let us not dwell on these negative aspects and instead use this period of isolation as a breathing space to work on ourselves. See this period not as a negative restraint on your lives but as an opportunity to be wholesome and really practice self-love.
“And so, with the sunshine and the great bursts of eaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again” – F. Scott Fitzgerald.