The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stressful time for many people, who needed to find ways to deal with stress while indoors. Here are some fun and relaxing activities to do in the safety of your homes.
It has been one year since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the lives of millions of people. The deadly virus forced people to stay inside their homes to curb the growing number of infections. Instead of going to the office, people had to work from home. Children and young adults had to attend online classes.
However, staying indoors for long periods took a toll on some who didn’t know how to spend all the free time that the pandemic has given them.
Here are some ways to spend your time indoors while waiting for the pandemic to end.
Grow a garden
Because of the pandemic, many people have come to appreciate greeneries, especially those who lived in places where green spaces are a rarity. There are many benefits to growing your garden while in the middle of a pandemic, including reduced stress and risk of mental health problems, improved mood, and increased life satisfaction.
Some of the most popular items to plant are herbs and vegetables. With most people limiting going outside – even for essential trips such as grocery shopping – many people opt to grow their own produce. Having your kitchen garden allows you to plant fruits, vegetables, and herbs that you enjoy eating and cooking. Growing your kitchen garden is a simple process as long as you have the patience and set aside time to do it.
Make wine
Some people have opted to make their alcoholic beverages at home. With wineries experiencing a plunge in business, they had to look for other ways to keep their trade going – including providing home wine making kits.
Winemaking can be a tedious hobby but an enriching and rewarding one when done right. What’s more, you can adjust the taste as you see fit. With the different types of juice available, the possibilities of creating the perfect bottle of homemade wine to enjoy anytime are endless.
Host a virtual hangout
The pandemic has forced many of us to create accounts on various virtual meeting apps to work remotely and to “attend” meetings and online classes. But people have also used these to hang out with their friends while in lockdown.
Invite friends to a virtual hangout using one of the many apps available. Some great things about virtual hangouts are there is no pressure to dress up, you can eat and drink whatever you want to, you do not need to assign a designated driver when you get drunk, and you can still have fun with your friends from the comfort of your own home. Serve yourself your homemade wine or a charcuterie board with your harvest from your kitchen garden.
Exercise your mind and body
Time and again, we’ve been told that exercising is important for our health. With gyms and other fitness centers forced to close due to the pandemic, people have had to work out within the comfort of their homes. This includes practicing yoga, one of the best exercises for the mind and body. Yoga can help keep you fit, loosen up your muscle tension, increase blood flow to the brain, and relax.
Make it more relaxing with yoga poses to do before bed. Just spending a few minutes of yoga before you sleep can help you practice daily mindfulness and meditation. Some yoga poses you can do before going to bed include the locust pose or Salabhasana, reclining hero or Supta Virasana, child’s pose or Balasana, and knees-to-chest or Apanasana.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused some serious stress on a lot of people. People who weren’t anxious before are now anxious about their health and safety and those of their family and friends. Many health experts recommend adopting or maintaining a healthy lifestyle because times of stress and uncertainty can make people easily fall into bad habits.
Having a healthy lifestyle not only supports your mind and body, but it also helps you be better equipped to deal with the difficulties posed by the pandemic. This includes not smoking.
Secondhand smoke from cigarettes can increase risks associated with COVID-19 transmission, as smoking requires you to remove face coverings. This could lead to transmitting or inhaling COVID-19 via infectious respiratory droplets, uncovered coughs, and increased touching of faces.
Vaping can be an alternative to smoking, but be considerate to those around you and avoid vaping indoors.
In Closing
When it comes to dealing with stress while in the middle of the pandemic, it helps to make a conscious effort to regulate your stress levels. And there are many ways to beat stress, but doing things that are enjoyable and relaxing can help a great deal. Remember that you are not alone in dealing with the pandemic, and reaching out to your friends, communing with nature, or picking up new and healthy habits can help reduce stress.
Written by Nicole Del Rosario
About the Author
Nicole Del Rosario writes and works for RELX Club, the trusted and biggest distributor of RELX products here in the Philippines.
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