A good rule of thumb is, if you're hungry - eat. You don't want to ignore your body's hunger cues. But if you’re snacking all the time, it helps to get to the why. Are you actually hungry, or are you just bored? Did you have a fulfilling meal? During time at home, it’s as important as ever to make sure you’re eating nourishing meals with enough protein, veggies and starch.2
Oh, glorious sleep. The thing we all want but can never get enough of. Besides being amazing, sleep has very practical benefits, both mental and physical. A rested brain helps you deal with the emotional, mental—and yes, even financial—stress of our current times, and a rested body helps strengthen your immune system.3
Home workouts have come a long way since neon headbands and VHS tapes of step aerobics. If you can’t hit your local gym right now, there is a whole slew of fun ways to work out at home. Check out Instagram for free workouts ranging from Venus Williams’ 5-minute workouts to Barry’s Bootcamp 20-minute ones, or check out the full fitness routines being offered for free from a variety of services like ClassPass, Peloton, and more.4
Whether you're working from home or recently found yourself furloughed, it can be challenging. This is an especially important time to focus on self-care: eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, getting daily exercise, and the one thing we often forget - taking care of our mental and emotional health.5 You may find it helpful to download a meditation app. As a part of our HealthyMind benefit, we offer the popular Headspace® app to our John Hancock Vitality customers.
For some reason, society often makes us feel bad for feeling bad. The thing is, these are stresstful times, and it's okay to feel anxious, angry, sad or all the above. There is no shame in feeling these emotions, and in fact, acknowledging these emotions are part of mental health. 6
Feel like you’re the only one not posting about your sourdough starter? It's not just in your head. Find out why the number of people searching “bread” has hit an all-time high lately.7 Hint: have you smelled fresh-baked bread?
Take advantage of all this time at home to do something you really like to do. Watch really good TV or really, really bad TV, read young adult novels, do a 1,000-piece sloth-themed jigsaw puzzle. No judgment.
Man cannot survive on takeout alone. While takeout is convenient and easy, people who cook at home frequently tend to eat more healthy and consume fewer calories than those who don’t.8 Fortunately, you can recreate your favorites at home.
Press flowers, start scrapbooking, learn to watercolor. What’s something you’ve always wanted to do? If you find yourself with more free time these days, a hobby has many benefits, including reducing stress and fostering social connections.9
The stress and anxiety of a pandemic can put your nervous system into overdrive, making self-care more important than ever. A long bath, a massage, yoga, stretching or meditation are all ways to take care of your mental health.10
Citations:
1 From Google trends
2 From Ginny King, MPH, RDN, LDN, CFT (dietitian, educator, fitness instructor)
3 Inc.: “8 Ways to Stay Productive During Coronavirus” by Andrew Thomas, March 30, 2020 https://www.inc.com/andrew-thomas/8-ways-to-stay-productive-during-coronavirus.html
4 Cosmopolitan: “41 Free At-Home Workouts for Quarantine Life” by Mariah Schlossmann, March 26, 2020 https://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/a31927905/free-workout/
5 Forbes: “How to Stay Productive Under Quarantine” by Stephanie Burns, March 25, 2020, https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2020/03/25/how-to-stay-productive-under-quarantine/#2f819c836a80
6 Inc.: “8 Ways to Stay Productive During Coronavirus” by Andrew Thomas, March 30, 2020 https://www.inc.com/andrew-thomas/8-ways-to-stay-productive-during-coronavirus.html
7 Eater: “So Everyone’s Googling Bread Now” by Meghan McCarron, March 25, 2020 https://www.eater.com/2020/3/25/21194467/bread-tops-google-trends-searching-for-recipes
8 New York Times: “How Covid-19 Is Making Millions of Americans Healthier” by Hans Taparia, April 18, 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/18/opinion/covid-cooking-health.html
9 Psychology Today: “Six Reasons to Get a Hobby” by Jamie L. Kurtz Ph.Dl, September 15, 2015 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happy-trails/201509/six-reasons-get-hobby
10 Forbes: “How to Stay Productive Under Quarantine” by Stephanie Burns, March 25, 2020 https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2020/03/25/how-to-stay-productive-under-quarantine/#2f819c836a80