A Guide To Health and Wellness
Do you have a self-care routine? It’s a term often thrown about, sometimes belittled into Sunday facemasks and bubbles. However, self-care is so much more than your weekly soak in the bathtub and it’s only becoming more important.
As we continue to navigate life through the stages of a pandemic, stresses can appear in all areas of our lives. Health and wellness are unlikely to be your first priority, but maybe they should be.
While self-care and wellness might be trending right now, many of the core principles and techniques have been around for years. Plus, this practice applies to all ages and people from all walks of life. For example, those entering retirement will face a total change to the daily routines, which might be intimidating before the feeling of freedom rushes over. In contrast, busy 9-5 workers will also need to find time for wellness practices. Even children can benefit from learning self-care habits now to continue throughout their lifetimes.
Physical Wellness
The effects of Covid-19 have really split the nation. Half of us are smashing the home workouts and healthy eating, whereas the other half have slumped over to zoom to drink our body weight in liquid calories with friends. For those of us in the latter group, the weight can creep up until one day you look in the mirror and realize just how unfit you have become.
Being unfit brings a whole host of other problems and difficulties, not least the fact that you’re generally more susceptible to illness. Bring activity back into your routine, and the benefits start immediately. We know that each time we exercise, our brains are blessed by endorphins which can affect overall mood and even confidence levels.
So how do you stay fit when you’re stuck in social isolation?
Aim to get outdoors at least once per day to increase your vitamin D levels; which are necessary to keep our bones and teeth healthy. Even if you can’t leave your house, get into the backyard!
Utilize the space you have in your house for exercising. Buy a cheap yoga mat and repurpose it for a range of indoor exercises!
Use household objects for weights, you can substitute water bottles or boxes filled with the items you already have laying around. Just remember to be safe!
There thousands and thousands of free workouts on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. You might even find a community of like-minded individuals on these social networks.
Mental Wellness
As well as physical fitness changes, Covid-19 has shed light on the prevalence of mental health conditions along with their effects. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that those with mental health conditions are experiencing greater psychological distress during the pandemic period than any other group.
Luckily, there are steps you can take as you work towards improving your mental health. Once this does improve, the benefits span across personal and professional lives; including increased concentration and confidence.
What can you do to improve your mental health?
Keep a routine. This is key in order to bring purpose and wellbeing to your lifestyle, also enabling you to build towards goals and achievements.
As well as physical exercise, we can take part in mental exercises to challenge your brain- plus enjoying yourself by keeping busy may reduce overall stress!
Don’t be afraid to reach out when you need help. As well as family and friends, there are a number of professional resources available for those who may need assistance. We all need help sometimes and there are many community groups that may be able to assist.
Health Insurance
With the combination of the upcoming election and ongoing pandemic, there’s no clear future for health insurance in the US. What is clear, however, is the abundance of resources (both local and national) which you might be able to take advantage of. For example, there are often provisions for mental health services alongside the physical health services that are typically provided.
If you (or someone you know) don’t have health insurance, you might still be able to access medical aid. With the current situation, many people are seeing changes to the usual situation including job losses and other impacts due to covid. So if you don’t happen to have health insurance, check out one of the resources listed below.
Particularly, the Church Health Center in Memphis, which provides medical aid to those who might not have access to the usual healthcare routes. There are many similar establishments across the country (all voluntarily run), which could provide emergency healthcare for those in need.
Helpful Resources
There are several local resources in Memphis and across Tennessee which can provide help for your physical and mental wellbeing:
FreeClinics.com will provide you with information on local free and income-based clinics, specializing in women, children, mental and general healthcare
KidCentral.com is an online and app-based resource for health, education and development. It also provides information on pregnancy and childcare
AllianceHealthcare is a not-for-profit mental health organization providing emergency care and long term treatments
ChurchHealthcare offers physical and mental health treatments to uninsured people who might otherwise not be able to afford medical help
ChristCommunityHealth provides healthcare and treatments to Memphis residents regardless of income
MemphisHealthCenter also offers free or subsidized healthcare across the local area to make healthcare as accessible as possible