We all are in the middle of a pandemic and because of this almost all of us are today confined to our homes.
Now, since we all are confined to your homes for an extended period of time, change in lifestyle in lockdown isolated many people, leading to a lack of exercise, which in turn caused more mental stress or anxiety, and even lower immunity. Loss of group activity opportunities also removed the motivation for many individuals, as well as a loss of required resources. Exercise is essential for heart health and psychological well being too.
Heart attacks can and will still happen during a pandemic. The chances of surviving a #HeartAttack are better the sooner #emergency treatment begins. If you start experiencing these signs of a heart attack, call 9-1-1 right away. https://t.co/aS7v0eaNaz pic.twitter.com/UXItr8N6q2
— CDC Division for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention (@CDCHeart_Stroke) August 21, 2020
With Covid-19, and uncertainty around it is very important to control the stress which increases inflammation, raises your cholesterol and blood sugar, increases blood pressure and even makes your blood more likely to clot.
Maintaining a healthy heart is important during and after the coronavirus pandemic. It is important to manage unhealthy behaviours and keeping an eye on your lifestyle, as it has an impact on heart health.
Here are the top tips for a healthier heart:
- Try to maintain a healthy weight by eating the right amount of food and keeping an eye on your portions. Gaining weight can lead to increased cholesterol levels.
- It is more important than ever to stay active, for both our physical and mental health, so do make the most of your daily exercise. Have cycle rides around your local area, you could try an online yoga class or read some good books or spend some time!
Health care professionals: You can help prevent #HeartDisease. Just get your team talking about the ABCS of #heart health. https://t.co/UR1269n2zm pic.twitter.com/BV6QV16GWv
— CDC Division for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention (@CDCHeart_Stroke) August 26, 2020
- Just like our schedules for eating, working and exercising, it’s important to sustain a regular sleep routine. For most people, between six to nine hours a night is sufficient. Going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day can help maintain a sense of normality, and help you follow through with plans.
- Similarly, as tempting as it may be to reach for the fries and chole bhature, do try to stick to healthy snacks – fresh fruit with yoghurt or dried fruit and nuts..
While high blood pressure is mainly caused by unhealthy environments, lifestyles and behaviours, you can modify some of these at home to lower your blood pressure, thus lowering the risk of heart disease.
You cannot control every risk factor or see into the future, but it is important to take care of your heart and overall well-being in order to live your best life.