Are your habits in isolation affecting your physical health?

You may be thinking, "my health habits aren't that bad, are they?". Although you may be going on the occasional run, isolation is affecting your physical health in more than a few ways. During isolation, we are all struggling to maintain our physical health as we are unable to go out and perform our usual activities. We think that staying physically healthy is just about eating right and exercising, it’s actually so much more than that! Both of these are still very important, but there are still some other factors that need to be taken into account.

Sleep is vital in maintaining good physical health! During this quarantine period, lots of people have ignored their regular sleep routine. Not following any routine, especially with sleep, can really affect your body and your natural sleep patterns.

Sleep plays a key role in repairing your heart and blood vessels. Many of your organs rely on this process, making sleep irreplaceable. Ongoing sleep deficiency can lead to many avoidable risks like; heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure and even a stroke.

Most of these aren’t a major problem for young teens who aren’t getting the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep but can cause other problems. As teens, our brains are still developing and can cause mental health issues that could affect our schooling. Your immune system relies on sleep, this system defends your body from harmful substances. Ongoing sleep deficiency can change the response of your immune system to foreign bacteria, which can lead to other illnesses and sicknesses.

An important factor in staying healthy is a balanced diet. During isolation, people tend to ignore their normal diet and just eat whatever is in the cupboard. A balanced diet is extremely important, as your body needs proper nutrition to work effectively. It helps your organs and tissues repair themselves. Without the right nutrition, your body is more prone to diseases and infections. This is because your organs are more fatigued and the performance of them are poorer than if they were eating correctly. Eating healthily also keeps your skin clean and healthy while also keeping your body weight at a healthy sizing. This assists in preventing all kinds of diseases like diabetes, cancer, dementia, and heart disease.

You may be thinking that sleep and nutrition are enough to keep healthy. While this is true, without exercise, you may not be performing as well as you could be. Other than just a balanced diet, exercise is crucial no matter what form it comes in. Exercise prevents many diseases similar to a balanced diet while also helping with your mental health. It's hard to exercise during isolation as you’re supposed to stay inside but has many benefits even if you simply do quick exercise inside. Staying active improves your mental health by helping relieve symptoms of anxiety, depression and help balance mood swings, which is extremely important for teens in later years. When exercising your body releases endorphins which connect with receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body similar to morphine. Exercising improves the oxygen flow to the brain and reduces your blood pressure and heart rate. Doing regular exercise improves your bones and muscles. Exercising makes your bones stronger and makes your muscles more flexible, which can help those who struggle to exercise as it gets easier each time.

Studies show that keeping a plant in your bedroom has many benefits. Plants increase the quality of your nights' rest and as I've said earlier, that’s crucial. Plants can also reduce anxiety and stress levels making you feel overall happier. Another reason to keep a plant in your is that it can help purify the air in your room. There are toxins that can be unintentionally distributed into the air. Another reason to keep a plant in your is that it can help purify the air in your room. There are toxins that can be unintentionally distributed into the air. Plants absorb and trap these toxins and release oxygen while creating a fresh sleeping environment. Plants can also reduce anxiety and stress levels making you feel overall happier.

In isolation, maintaining your physical health is vital, as it has many health benefits and can prevent many diseases and problems that may occur in your body during your lifetime.

All these factors; sleep, exercise and nutrition can all benefit your health. And the best part? You can do it all from the comfort of your own home, while in lockdown.

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References

Dubey, S. (2020). How Staying Home Affects Your Physical Health. femina.in. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from https://www.femina.in/wellness/health/world-health-day-how-staying-home-affects-your-physical-health-153341-2.html.

Krans, B. (2016). Balanced Diet: What Is It and How to Achieve It. Healthline. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/balanced-diet#calories.

n/a, n. (2018). Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency | National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Nhlbi.nih.gov. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency.

n/a, n. (2018). Teenagers and sleep. Betterhealth.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/teenagers-and-sleep.

n/a, n. (2019). Chickpea Pasta Salad in a Jar. Good Housekeeping. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/easy/a28639122/chickpea-pasta-salad-recipe/.

salcedo, S. (2020). Nectarsleep.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from https://www.nectarsleep.com/posts/bedroom-plants/.