5 Self-Care Tips to Make Home Care Better
Receiving nursing care or companion care at home can be a step in the right direction, especially during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. But taking serious self-care measures can better your quarantine experience.
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of the following tips that will take self-care to a whole new level:
- Take morning walks
- Make time to read
- Plan an in-home yoga routine
- Switch up your morning coffee
- Laugh whenever you can
1. Take Morning walks
Starting your day with a morning walk has a ton of benefits. It can boost your energy levels, improve your mood, help you manage health conditions, strengthen your muscles, allow you to have better sleep at night and can even help you make healthier decisions throughout the day.
Spending time outdoors, in fact, has been part of the Japanese government’s preventative health strategy since the 80s. According to a 2010 study reported by Canadian Living, “forest bathing” — a.k.a. shinrin-yoku or being in nature — leads to “lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, lower blood pressure and a lower pulse rate than spending time in urban settings.”
For those who live in the downtown area, it is still beneficial to go out for some fresh air on an early or midday stroll. According to a study by the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition about the effects of exercise breaks on attention and learning, 15-minute walks can boost concentration and energy throughout your day. This can especially help you for our next tip — reading.
2. Make Time To Read
In a report by the Chicago Tribune, reading, according to researchers, is good for you, even better than listening to an audiobook or using an e-reader.
“Reading is active, watching TV is passive,” stresses Diana Wagman, writer of the article. She adds that the act of physically turning a page and pausing to allow understanding and imagination to sink in is an experience TV does not give. In return, reading can not only promote comprehension and imagination, but also reduce stress, relieve depression, better sleep and may contribute to the prevention of Alzheimer’s.
3. Plan An In-Home Yoga Routine
Similar to other types of exercise, yoga is beneficial for seniors and can be a good way to spend time with other members of your household, including your home care companion. Yoga benefits you by keeping your mind sharp, strengthening your bones, improving balance and stamina, reducing stress, improving sleep, reducing back pain, and if that’s not good enough for you, it can even slow down aging.
According to this Ultimate Guide to Yoga for Seniors, strength and relaxation are the two core principles of yoga, which are also “keys to slowing the ageing process” as it battles muscle loss that comes with aging and can improve body circulation and slow down your heart rate.
4. Switch Up Your Morning Coffee
Doctors in the past have warned about the negative effects of coffee like heart disease and stunt growth. But as it turns out, the “studies didn’t always control for the many other factors that could account for poor health, such as smoking, drinking and a lack of physical activity,” stated TIME Magazine.
When drunk in moderation, coffee is good for most people as the drink is linked to lower mortality risk, says National Cancer Institute research fellow Erikka Loftfield to the New York Times.
However, switching up your morning coffee will allow you to receive other health benefits that may not come with coffee alone. Green tea is another healthy morning drink that, according to research, when consumed regularly may lower “bad” cholesterol levels and may reduce your risk of high blood pressure. Studies also show that a habit of drinking black tea can lead to lower risk of developing heart disease. Matcha, on the other hand, is high in antioxidants that stabilize harmful free radicals, which can damage cells and can be a cause of chronic illness. It can also help protect your liver, boost brain function, prevent cancer, promote heart health and help you manage your weight.
So, don’t settle for coffee alone, instead look forward to trying new drinks and new recipes that can make each day slightly different and a little better.
5. Laugh Whenever You Can
Laughter has a number of short-term and long-term benefits, making it indeed the “best medicine.” In the short-run, laughter can enhance your intake of oxygen, stimulating your body’s organs. It can also relieve you of stress and bodily tension.
In the long-run, laughter can prevent negative thoughts from bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. It can even relieve pain, increase your ability to cope with difficult situations and overall, improve your mood.
While we are still in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, look into different ways of promoting your mental health, and know that there are a variety of home care solutions that may effectively help you during these times.