Wellness In A Pandemic

The pandemic has certainly created challenges and some obstacles to maintain a healthy lifestyle for many people. With social distancing measures in place beginning in 2020, our schedules and sense of normalcy were disrupted, thus our physical wellness might have impacted. We may have experienced changes in eating and activity, insomnia and/or fatigue, and physical stress.

Swift isolation and strict rules may have affected our ability to care for ourselves mentally and emotionally, as well. Many of us did not have time to mentally prepare for such a drastic shift to our everyday life, making the transition to quarantine challenging on our overall mental, emotional, and physical fitness.

Mental, emotional, and physical fitness, or strength, is vital for our success during and after the pandemic now more than ever before. Awareness of our own emotions as well as how we respond to the stress and grief of the pandemic will help guide us to smart and healthy coping skills.

In addition, it may have had an impact on our family life. Whether we are living alone or with a large family, social distancing has put a strain on how we stay connected with loved ones. We are social beings. We need connection. We are using social media platforms more often to check in with friends and family, relying solely on technology to close the social gap. We are learning how to balance work and personal responsibilities while simultaneously educating our children at home. To top it all off, isolation or loneliness has been affecting us.

It has been nearly 2 years since the start of the pandemic and it's forced us to acclimate our mental, emotional, and physical wellness. How do we acclimate and continue to care for ourselves and our wellness in an ongoing pandemic?

You may have had to move in with your parents, or may have found new love. Maybe you’ve gotten a divorce. You may only be comfortable exercising alone now or maybe you can’t afford gym or wellness memberships. You may be even busier now and don't make time for yourself, when now more than ever is the most important time to do so.

Have you asked yourself lately, ‘What are my priorities? What is important to me most right now? How can I put these priorities first in my life and take care of myself in the best way that is right for me?’

I’ll share some ideas below on ways you can incorporate mental and physical wellness into your life.

Mental Wellness:

- start a daily affirmations journal, dream journal, or gratitude journal (personally, I wake up every morning and state 5 things for which I am grateful-this is so powerful and helps start your day off with positivity)

- try meditation or breathing exercise practices (I set my intentions for the day during this time)

- dedicate 15 minutes a day without a phone/screen to make space and time for quiet time (harder than you think😉)

- grounding/earthing

- get an extra hour of sleep

- sauna and cold shower or cold plunge

- take a vacation (doesn’t have to be an expensive one-simply getting away to change your perspective can be quite impactful)

Physical Wellness:

- GET OUTSIDE! Try to go for a walk every day. Simply getting outside and going for a walk has many physical health benefits.

- get a massage or use self-mobility tools to work out the body adhesions, which will also, in turn, help relieve mental stress, as well.

- grab a workout partner and hold each other accountable

- if needed, get a personal trainer to hold you accountable

- if you are still not ready to join a large gym, there are many studios and smaller gyms and wellness facilities that are clean and safe

- try yoga as this can be beneficial for both your physical and mental wellness

The important thing to know is you are not alone! If you haven’t been addressing your physical and/or mental wellness, now is the time. You’ve been through SO much these last nearly 2 years. Give yourself some grace and take back your health and wellness if you have let it slip!

LET’S DO THIS, 2022!!

Article by Jessica Tranchina

Jessica Tranchina is a PT, DPT and the co-founder of Generator Athlete Lab. She works to help guide other to better performance and recovery and is passionate about bringing the active community together in Austin.

generatoratheletelab.com | drjess@generatorathletelab.com | Instagram - @generatorathletelab