As the world prepares to fight the Coronavirus pandemic, a lot of countries, including India, have imposed ‘lockdown’ to reduce the transmission of the virus. This would mean staying indoors for most of us unless you are a healthcare worker or are involved in the delivery of essential services. While many of us may be doing some physical activities during the lockdown, there may be others who have not able to do so due to work or home commitments. If you fall in the second category, it is time for you to include some form of physical activity in your daily routine.

Why is physical activity important to stay fit during COVID-19?

Physical activity is beneficial for both your body as well as your mind. Keeping yourself physically active can help you manage weight and lower your risk of diseases like diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and cancer. Enhanced muscle and bone strength is a result of regular physical activity besides increasing your flexibility and balance. In children, physical activity can boost healthy growth and development and lessen the risk of disease in their later years.

There are many benefits of being physically active which have become even more significant during the lockdown for the COVID-19 pandemic. Staying physically active during lockdown can improve your mental health by reducing the anxiety and stress associated with Coronavirus.

Few studies done on Coronavirus have shown that maintaining Vitamin D levels can help in reducing the risk of severe illness. Early and ongoing studies suggest that exercising in safe and sunlight exposed areas like the balcony, garden, etc. can be beneficial.

How do we stay physically active during the lockdown?

Most people prefer exercising in a gym or going to a local park for running/jogging. However, due to the lockdown, we are now being confined to our homes. In such times, staying physically active can be quite challenging. Hence, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended some ways by which you can keep yourself physically active during the lockdown:

• Reduce sitting time while you are working, reading, watching TV, studying, playing video games or using social media. Try taking short breaks of about 3 to 5 minutes after every 20 to 30 minutes of sitting.
• Stand up every now and then and stretch your body. It is a good idea to walk around the house, into the garden, or up and down the stairs.
• Set up a specific time to be physically active every day. You may do it by yourself, with your friends online, or by joining an online class. Ensure that you make this a routine and stick to it every day.
• Make sure that you exercise daily and each exercise session should last for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
• Engage yourself in household chores. It can serve both as a physical activity as well as reduce the housework load for your family members.
• If you have children at home, plan to spend some time with them. You may either do some cycling together (if you have a cycling area around the house) or play some active games at home.

What are the precautions to be taken while exercising?

Keeping yourself physically active during lockdown is important. However, there are some precautions that you need to take. We have listed them for you below:

• Pick the right physical activity for yourself. Choose the activity which you enjoy and has a lesser risk of injury. The exercises you choose should allow you to breathe comfortably and should have the right intensity.
• If you are either new or not regular to exercising, you should start with low-intensity activities such as walking and gradually advance to low impact exercises.
• Do not work out or exercise if you have a cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. Seek expert medical advice if you experience any of these symptoms.
• Follow social distancing and hand hygiene while indulging in physical activities like cycling.

Consult a COVID-19 Expert