There have been a number of articles on how your health could be impacted by isolation. We’ve decided to talk about ways to combat some common side effects from this year of social isolation. Everyone is different, so you should choose what areas of your health have been impacted the most and take a few steps to become healthier in those specific areas.

With gyms closed for most of the year, you probably didn’t see many gains this year and maybe saw the opposite. If you feel you’ve become weaker, there are still some things you can do at home to start rebuilding that muscle. There are thousands of bodyweight workouts you can find on YouTube if you have no equipment. If you want, you can get creative in using things around the house to use as weights. What’s important is that you do something most days to keep your muscles working.

Does walking up a flight of stairs seem a little harder than normal? Staying indoors and not being able to hit the treadmill probably has had its effect on your heart and lung health. But even without a gym, cardio is easy to work on. Go on a brisk walk and try adding some intervals of jogging. Or go on a run if you feel up for it. Again, consistency is key, so try to get your heart rate up every day. Not feeling motivated? Join a PUML challenge so you can get rewarded the more steps you take!

An increase in fat can come from multiple causes so of course be sure to consult your doctor if you feel you have fat gain that is not due to your current eating and exercise habits. But if you can tell you’ve gained some fat due to a slower routine, there are a few things you can do to get back on track. First, make sure you are eating healthy foods in reasonable proportions every day. Plan your meals for the week before grocery shopping. Avoid snacking just because you’re bored with working at home. And if you can’t resist snacking during the day, make sure you have healthy options on hand – fruits, veggies, hummus, etc. In addition to eating healthy, follow some of the above tips for getting a workout in, even if just at home.

Has your back and neck been aching? Your home office set up may not be as ergonomically sound as your desk and chair in the office. As a result, your posture could be suffering. A simple thing you can do is set reminders on your work computer at random intervals during the day reminding you to sit up straight and roll your shoulders back. It is also important to give your eyes a break from the screen. You don’t want to be looking too closely and hunching over or to be squinting and straining your eyes. So when your reminder goes off to sit up straight, also look away from your screen at something around 6 meters away for 20 seconds to give your eyes a break. Do this a few times a day.

With everything happening in the world and drastic lifestyle changes happening, sleeping habits have suffered for many. To help get better sleep, create and stick to a simple bedtime routine. This could mean reading before bed, practicing some light stretching or simply being screen-free for an hour before you want to sleep. Try to start your routine at the same time every night so that your body gets used to winding down regularly. 

As your physical health deteriorates, so does your mental health and vise versa. If you feel like your mental health hasn’t been that good throughout this year, doing things to increase your overall health like having a good diet and regular physical activity are good first steps. If this doesn’t help, you should also contact a professional for added support. There are a lot more options for remote therapists now because of COVID and it could be worth it to check them out. 

A new study has been released looking at the ways to increase your number of “disease-free years” as you age. The researchers analysed different combinations of lifestyle factors to see how they correlate with the number of disease-free years an individual has in their lifetime. What they found is that of 16 different lifestyle profiles studied, the 4 that were associated with the greatest disease-free years all included a body mass index (BMI) lower than 25 and at least 2 of these 3 factors: never smoking, regular physical activity and moderate alcohol consumption. The diseases that these factors help delay or ward off are type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and cancer. Needless to say, if you want to live a long and healthy life, making sure your own life fits into this profile is important. If you are an employer, you can promote this type of lifestyle to your employees in a number of different ways.

You can use your corporate wellness program to target these factors and help your employees increase their disease-free years. First, let’s look at lowering individuals’ BMI. Basically, this is done by losing unhealthy weight if their BMI is 25 or higher. While there are many fads to losing weight, science proves that the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off is through regular exercise and proper nutrition. 

Incorporating regular exercise can be as simple as having an activity challenge to get participants to think about physical activity daily. You can also host workout classes or sponsor gym memberships. Exercise will not only help lower employees’ BMI but also is one of the other factors on its own that helps increase the number of disease-free years. Get your employees moving, and check off 2 of the 4 important lifestyle factors!

To incorporate proper nutrition into your workplace, make sure that healthy meal and snack options are available. Instead of complimentary donuts for breakfast, try fresh fruit and yogurt. Instead of cake and ice cream to celebrate birthdays, opt for healthier treats. Also, providing some type of course on nutrition could be a great way to support your employees who are interested in nurturing better eating habits.

The last two factors to consider are: never smoking and moderate consumption of alcohol. While these are very personal decisions made by individuals, there still are a few things you can do to help your employees. The first piece is education. A wellbeing course that mentions the risks of smoking and alcohol and clearly directs individuals on what the proper amount of alcohol is, could be a smart idea to include in your wellbeing program. You could also think about how much alcohol makes up a part of your company culture. If lunchtime drinks and after work stops at the bar are big on your team, maybe try a company challenge where you go one week a month without drinks at work.

While you cannot control all of these factors for your employees, creating an environment where employees can make healthy decisions for themselves is important. Also, promoting these healthier lifestyle options can potentially save your employees from life-altering diseases.