Expert Tips for Staying Happy and Healthy at Home
With social distancing in full effect amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, staying both physically and mentally fit is more important than ever. So we’ve reached out to experts for helpful tips for staying healthy and happy at home.
Stay Active
To find motivation to exercise, Dr. Kevin Gilliland, a clinical psychologist and director of Innovation360, an outpatient resource center in Texas suggests three things: create a schedule, move daily and set goals.
“Fight to keep your usual routine, because that helps you feel a sense of normalcy in such an abnormal time,” he explains. “So try to work out at the time you’re used to even if you have to change what you do and where you do it.”
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He suggests fitting in exercise during the work day in-between meetings and calls. Add 20 to 30 minutes of exercise, three to four days a week, to get the most physical and mental health benefits. And during those exercises, he suggests setting goals to complete because “we achieve the goals that are personal to us.”
Wear Comforting Colors
Colors can affect one’s mood, and the Pantone Color Institute’s Leatrice Eiseman says aqua is “refreshing,” powder blue is “stress-relieving” and navy evokes “a sense of tranquility and peace.”
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Try a New Fitness or Wellness App
Tone It Up, Calm, Peloton and Nike Training Club apps are favorites among PEOPLE editors.
Tone It Up (free trial until 4/22, then $14.99 a moth) “The instructors are really encouraging and the quick workouts make it easy to do every day. My friends and I all downloaded the app and have coordinate our schedules to make it even more fun.” — Sarah Ball, market editor
Calm (first 7 days free, then $12.99 a month) “This has excellent meditation instructions. Listening to one of the 10-minute practices helps me unwind after a stressful day.” — Sheila Baylis, health editor
Peloton (first 90 days free, then $12.99 a month) “You don’t need their pricey bike to take advantage of this app. I do the 20-minute yoga classes during my lunch break to stay sane.” — Brittany Talarico, senior style editor
Nike Training Club (free) “I use their high-impact exercises every morning to get my blood pumping without disturbing my downstairs neighbor.” — Julie Mazziotta, associate health editor
