Just because you’re in lockdown, unable to hit the gym, jog or walk the dog, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work out. Exercise is more important than ever, for every aspect of your well-being.
Why exercise is important for your physical and mental well-being
Extensive research has shown that being sedentary undermines your physical and mental well-being and can compromise your immunity – something you can’t afford when fending off the coronavirus during this deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Health Organization reports that compared to less active adult men and women, those who are more active have lower rates of all causes of mortality, including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, colon and breast cancer and depression, and are likely to have less risk of a hip or vertebral fracture.
The WHO advises at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week – just over 20 minutes a day – along with muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week. And there’s no reason for that to change in lockdown.
It’s even more important, because exercise also lowers inflammation in your body and promotes the release of growth factors: brain chemicals that influence the health and development of brain cells and blood vessels in your brain, reports Harvard Health. And it promotes the release of feel-good endorphins, elevating your mood and combating stress.
Why exercising is even more important with COVID-19
But, perhaps most crucially right now, exercise helps keep your immune system working optimally, by flushing bacteria from your lungs and airways, boosting the circulation of white blood cells, and raising your body temperature, all of which assist your body to fight off infection.
Ideas to help you work out at home during lockdown
In lockdown, work out aerobically by running on the spot, up and down stairs or around the garden, or by dancing vigorously. You can also dig out a skipping rope and jump that - it’s harder than you remember - or simply draw a chalk line on the floor, or lay a meter of masking tape, and hop forwards and backwards over it.
For resistance exercises to strengthen muscles, do squats, lunges, push-ups against the wall or kitchen counter, and lift dumbbells. These are easily fashioned from bags of rice or bottled water – put them in a plastic carrier for instant kettlebells!
"You need to alternate muscle groups to keep up your heart rate and build muscle endurance," says Durban fitness consultant Hayley Cassim of Gym in a Box. "So intersperse sets of lunges with sets of push-ups, for example, or sets of dips with sets of squats."
For variety, explore the myriad free workout apps and videos now available. Challenge family and friends to join you ‘virtually’ and swop clips of you exercising, for motivation and fun.
Just don’t forget to wipe down sweaty surfaces afterwards, especially if in lockdown with others.