Keep to a routine, get adequate sleep and do regular exercise – lockdown advice from Redbridge’s director of health
Gladys Xavier, Redbridge Council's director of public health. Picture: Redbridge Council - Credit: Archant
Gladys Xavier, director of public health, integrated strategy and commissioning at Redbridge Council, shares some advice on dealing with the continued lockdown.
Many of you may be struggling after being stuck indoors for the past month. I just want to give you a few tips on how to manage your time during the pandemic.
There are lots of ideas for children, as well as teenagers and adults. From PE with Joe Wicks and Elevenses with David Walliams to Museum Match craft activity, there’s something for everyone. The www.whatsonredbridge.org website is a great source of information.
Whilst it’s important to stay connected with current events, be careful where you get news from. Get your facts from the government website: www.gov.uk/coronavirus
If the constant headlines and reports are starting to get you down, you might want to check the news only once or twice a day and limit your use of social media.
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Make sure you take sufficient rest, eat healthy food, engage in physical activity for one-hour a day, and stay in contact over the phone with family and friends.
Keep to a routine and get adequate sleep. Avoid using unhelpful coping strategies such as sugary snacks, alcohol, drugs, and smoking.
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Try to follow your ordinary routine as much as possible and get family members to do the same. Get up at the same time as normal, and go to bed at your usual time.
It’s important to build physical activity into your day.
If you cannot go out, regular exercising at home is simple and there are options for most ages and abilities: cleaning your home, dancing to music, going up and downstairs, and gardening.
If your home feels too quiet, why not listen to a chatty radio station or a podcast.
And if you’re going out for exercise, a walk, to the shops or going to work, please remember to be responsible and keep your distance of two metres and wash your hands with soap and water regularly.
Remember to dry your hands thoroughly.
Being indoors most of the day means you may not be getting enough vitamin D from sunlight. You should perhaps consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day to keep your bones and muscles healthy.
If we all follow the guidelines, then we’ll all come out of this much sooner.
