The COVID-19 pandemic has been detrimental to us in so many ways. For one thing, many Americans have been furloughed and laid off due to this health crisis. Those who have been able to keep their jobs often have faced reduced hours or a significantly lowered salary to accommodate the economic pressure faced by businesses of all sizes. Few industries have escaped the impact caused by COVID-19, thanks in part to the lockdowns required by many states.

Even businesses that haven’t had to lay off employees have largely been forced to embrace remote work. Job loss, remote work requirements, and the need to slow the spread have forced people to stay indoors far more frequently than they normally would. Furthermore, social hubs like restaurants and gyms have shut down, as well. Outdoor areas typically limit the number of people allowed in a space at one time. Generally speaking, the only businesses that have remained fully operational are essential businesses. They typically have to do with healthcare or basic needs, like groceries. Therefore, people have been forced to stay indoors, which has had an obvious impact on their mental health. But mental health is not the only thing to be worried about.

Think about how difficult it is to exercise properly when you’re confined at home all the time. Think further about how easy it is to eat foods that you probably shouldn’t, like junk food and fast food, when you’re forced to stay inside or can only visit fast-casual restaurants with drive-throughs. The mental health issues that some may struggle with already have been exacerbated by staying indoors, pushing unhealthy habits like food and substance dependence while they’re unable to work out as consistently as they normally would.

But this issue isn’t going to be resolved anytime soon. In the midst of the pandemic’s second wave, we should consider how we will be able to stay healthy in the future. With that in mind, you should think long and hard about how to improve physical health and wellness while social distancing and remaining mindful of the fact that we are in the midst of a pandemic. It’s not just about working out at home but making changes that will keep you healthier. Let’s explore this below.

1. Keep Work-From-Home Hazards in Mind

When considering how to improve physical health and wellness while staying indoors, you also need to consider the issues that come with staying inside.

Let’s look at furniture first. If you’re working at home, you’re probably sitting in a chair and working on your computer quite a bit. There is a reason why businesses use specific types of office chairs and desks. They’re not just meant to facilitate more efficient work; they can also keep you healthier and more comfortable. This is why you should invest in ergonomic chairs. Ergonomic chairs keep your back more supported and ensure that your legs and knees are less apt to suffer from stress. If you sit in chairs with poor support over your months at home, you will likely start experiencing back and joint pain or weakness.

You should consider protecting your eyes, as well. Think long and hard about how poorly off you’ll be if you don’t take care of your eyes. Over time, it’s shockingly easy for them to be damaged. Poor lighting, as well as the brightness of a computer screen, can cause significant harm to your eyes. If your eyes already suffer from issues, you need to be particularly careful about protecting them. When considering how to improve physical health and wellness, you should add eyeglasses to your list of priorities. Specifically, those need to be blue light eyeglasses. Blue light eyeglasses will keep your eyes much safer in the long term and reduce the strain they’ll experience as you work. You can pick these up from your optometrist, as you’ll want to ensure that the glasses you pick up are specifically suited for your eyes and any conditions they suffer from.

2. Stay Hydrated

It’s easy to forget to stay hydrated as you stay home. While we often remember to bring water bottles with us when we’re out and about, especially when we want to work out, there’s less of a pressure to remember to fill up a glass of water at home. People experiencing depressive symptoms find it particularly difficult to stay hydrated.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of issues that can occur if you don’t drink enough water. This is unhealthy in general, as we need to drink a good amount of water to stay alive. We also need to drink water in order to ward off weight gain and other chronic health conditions. It can also help our immune systems, which is especially important during an international health emergency.

On a basic level, it’s recommended that men drink about 101 ounces of water a day (and women 74 ounces of water a day) when considering how to improve physical health and wellness. This may fluctuate if any weight is gained or lost. You can stay on track for the amount of water that you need to drink each day by keeping a chart and perhaps giving yourself small rewards as you attempt to get in the routine of drinking enough water. On the other hand, you may want to consider adding flavoring to your bottled water in order to make it more appealing. Obviously, flavorings with artificial sweeteners or sugar have their own problems that you need to be concerned about. You can lessen these problems by filtered your water through infusers with fruit. This will add some flavor naturally and encourage you to drink more water without taking in chemicals or sugar.

3. Indulge in Self-Care

As you explore how to improve physical health and wellness, you can’t focus only on your body. Your mind probably needs some TLC, as well. It can be difficult to feel physically good if you aren’t mentally well. This is why it’s important for those who spend a lot of time at home to indulge in self-care every now and then.

But how are you supposed to do this if you aren’t allowed to leave your house? Fortunately, there are plenty of ways through which you can turn your home into a spa. You can start small, by using a home foot bath, and perhaps a relaxing soak in the tub with a bubble bath. You may also want to apply a facial. This can allow your skin to feel hydrated and rejuvenated. There are plenty of natural facials that you can mix up yourself. Pop a cucumber slice over each eye, apply the facial treatment to your face, and relax for half an hour or so. It can do wonders for your overall well being.

Of course, you can also buy facials online. A lot of these products can include great minerals, as well as vitamins and other products that will nourish your skin. It’s easy for hours upon hours spent indoors to dry out your skin and perhaps even cause damage. Many people complain of their skin prematurely aging because they’ve been locked indoors for too long. On that note, you should consider investing in a good anti-aging skin treatment. Now that you have a lot of time on your hands, you may want to think about how best to care for your skin in the long term and utilize self-care tactics to their best advantage.

4. Establish a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is crucial when considering how to improve physical health and wellness. It’s not enough to exercise however best you can, especially if you want to keep from gaining too much weight as you spend more time indoors. You also need to think about how you can improve your internal health through your diet — beyond just seeking a weight loss treatment.

This doesn’t mean that you should embark on a fad diet. Now is not the time to try to lose a remarkable amount of weight in a short amount of time. The mental stress caused by staying indoors at all times could cause you to become reliant on disordered eating. But now is the time for you to consider altering your diet so that you are as healthy as possible for the long term. Read up on what would best suit your specific needs. For example, if you suffer from diseases that are triggered by internal inflammation, you may want to consider a diet that cuts down on inflammation. In the same sense, if you’ve ever been tempted to try vegetarianism for the first time now might be the time for you to attempt it.

Transitioning to a plant-based diet for the first time can be challenging, but many find it highly rewarding. Meats and dairy products can trigger a number of different bad reactions in the body, even if they don’t necessarily cause weight gain inherently. If you have the time and inclination, you may want to start working on your own garden. Not only is the exercise you’ll partake in while gardening an important part of how to improve physical health and wellness, but you’ll also be able to make homegrown produce a part of your diet. Invest in good garden supplies before doing so, however. You don’t want to give yourself more work than you need!

5. Clean Up Your Yard

Just because you need to stay home, that doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to becoming a couch potato. There are plenty of ways to fit in some physical fitness outside.

We mentioned above that maintaining a home garden is a place to start — so why not focus on making your yard a nicer place? While you’re out and working, you should consider whether or not it’s a good idea to start improving your yard beyond gardening. You may notice some yard waste sitting around or perhaps some overgrown weeds and brush. You have plenty of time to get to work (perhaps more time than you would really like to devote to your yard). Start clearing waste, and for that matter, moving trash and debris out of your yard. Consider adding fresh plants to your garden, like flowers and plants that attract hummingbirds. An additional consideration to make is whether or not your fence needs to be repaired in any way. When looking into how to improve physical health and wellness, you should remember that all of this is natural exercise, and for that matter it allows you to feel good about your home, which is a part of feeling good about yourself.

6. Try CBD Products

It can be difficult to manage your stress and anxiety over time. While you may be hesitant to take prescribed medications for such disorders, you should consider doing so if your doctor finds it necessary. However, you may also want to consider discussing other means through which you can reduce these symptoms. When exploring how to improve physical health and wellness, you should consider all possible avenues. CBD products have been found to reduce stress and cause relaxation, and come in many different forms.

For one thing, you might want to add CBD oil tinctures to your tea or even the water we discussed the need to drink earlier. Other forms of CBD to consider include muscle rubs, as well as bath bombs that can be added to your bath water as you soak. These products can make it easier for you to calm down without relying upon traditional medications.

7. Find Alternatives To Gyms

Right now, it’s recommended that adults trying to stay healthy should be active every day and achieve at least 150 minutes of physical activity over the week. It can be difficult to figure out how to improve physical health and wellness when you aren’t allowed to go to the gym. Even if gyms are open around you, they may be crowded and the perfect place for the COVID-19 virus to spread. Therefore, you should consider how to exercise without a gym. Consider working out in your backyard, or perhaps taking a jog around your neighborhood when it’s not busy.

Furthermore, you should think about how you can change your home. Investing in at home gym equipment can make workouts a lot simpler. Some homeowners are taking this time to invest in a swimming pool installation to make laps and exercise a lot easier. A much simpler way to work out would be through buying an inexpensive yoga mat. This would allow you to work out as you wish, calmly as you watch the television.

There are a lot of things for you to consider as you prepare for the second wave of the pandemic. It’s going to be difficult, and of course, the pandemic itself presents a lot of health risks. But if you consider how to improve physical health and wellness and maintain your well being through the pandemic, you can get through this. Don’t give up now!