Since the pandemic, many of us have been working from home. This can be a blessing or curse, depending on your perspective and how you deal with it. Dr Ryan Shelton finds some key things to keep in mind while working at home to maintain better health.
If you work at home, you probably spend more time sitting down for long periods than usual. If this is the case, then make sure to get up and move around every hour or so – even if it’s just going to another room nearby where you need to do some task like sorting papers or filing something away in a drawer.
It will help avoid blood clots that can lead to pulmonary embolisms (a clot that travels to the lungs) if you sit for extended periods. Moving around also helps your body stay loose, helping ease the aches and pains that come with working on a computer all day long.
Working from home can be difficult, especially if your office is in your bedroom. Your immune system may need a little help to fight the germs at home. Germs are everywhere. You can’t avoid them, but you can take steps to reduce the number of germs in your home office and keep yourself healthy while working from home. Here are five steps you can take to boost your immune system while working from home.
Get enough sleep
Alas, it is a well-known fact that getting the proper amount of sleep can boost your immune system. Studies have shown that people who get less than 7 hours of sleep are more likely to catch colds and other illnesses than those who get eight or more hours per day.
This is because lack of sleep causes our bodies’ natural defenses against viruses and bacteria to weaken. If you want to stay healthy while working from home, says Dr Ryan Shelton, ensure you get enough rest not to become sick.
Wash your hands often with antibacterial soap or gel
You may think that washing your hands with soap and water can clean them of germs, but this is not the case. Most of the time, you cannot wash all germs away with plain soap and water. This is why it’s best to use an antibacterial soap that kills more bacteria than regular hand soap. You should also avoid touching your face or nose as much as you can
When these two areas constantly touch dirt and germs, it increases your risk of catching a cold or other illness. Touching your face or nose after handling money, for example, will increase your chances of getting sick, especially if others have handled those bills before you touch them. To avoid having to do this as often as possible when
Stay active (take breaks if necessary)
Make sure to avoid spending hours upon hours sitting at your desk. Even if you can’t go out for a walk or run during your workday, you should still get up and move around as much as possible – especially if you’re seated for most of the day.
In addition to moving around every hour or so, it’s best to do some physical activity before going back to more intense tasks such as working on a project or giving a presentation.
Eat healthy foods (fruit and vegetables)
When working from home, it’s easy to eat meat and quick-fix foods instead of bringing healthy food with you. However, these types of foods might leave you feeling tired more often than not. This is because, says Dr. Ryan Shelton, they lack nutrients your body needs to help fight off disease.
Eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C, which increases our natural defenses against viruses. These fruits and vegetables will also boost your immune system’s health and give your body the energy needed to deal with work stress.
Just remember to wash all fruit before eating. This is an important step when it comes to boosting your immune system when working from home. Make sure to wash all fruit thoroughly before peeling or consuming them.
Exercise at least 30 minutes every day
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the most common causes of poor health. A lack of exercise can lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Regular exercise improves our circulation, which boosts our immune system by increasing white blood cells working to fight germs and diseases. Exercise also helps release endorphins, making us feel happier and less stressed out while improving our mental clarity. The best part about exercising every day is that it doesn’t take much time at all!
You don’t need a gym membership or expensive equipment to get your daily workout done – you can do it right from home with just these six exercises: 1) Push-ups, 2) Squats, 3) Sit-ups, 4) Jumping Jacks, 5) Lunges, 6 ) Planks.
Be sure to remember to do a warm-up and cool down for five minutes. This way,
your muscles will be ready for a workout while you’ll prevent injuries from occurring.
Takeaway
The key is not overworking yourself. Take frequent rest breaks, don’t sit too long without getting up, eat right, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep each night and wash your hands often throughout the day. You’ll feel better, and your immune system will thank you.
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