It goes without saying that the “shelter-in-place” and “stay-at-home” orders that are in effect everywhere in the world have posed many challenges for millions of people. Being separated from friends and loved ones, and being deprived from daily social interaction has all sorts of negative effects on the mind and body, as does the sudden, and unwelcome, change to a sedentary lifestyle that so many people have been forced into.

This is a public health crisis, and, of course, you should be doing everything you can to protect yourself, your family, and the general public from the COVID-19 virus. It’s important to remember, however, not to neglect your health in other ways while you work to stave off the risk of infection. Even if you’ve managed to stay virus-free, the quarantines and lack of interaction with people will take their mental and physical toll.

Here are some of the best ways to stay healthy while staying at home:

Find Ways To Exercise

Everyone knows, of course, that exercise is a key part of staying healthy. However, managing to keep exercising during a quarantine situation isn’t easy for many people. Especially if you have a regular gym routine, and your gym is now closed, or you played a sport with a group of people that you can no longer meet with, you will need to find alternatives you can do at home.

While some people have great home gyms setup that they can make use of, you don’t need to have access to weights, rowing machines, treadmills, or other fancy equipment to continue exercising. Bodyweight exercises are a great way to keep yourself in great shape while you’re stuck at home. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, planks, and many others will provide you with a great workout without ever leaving your living room.

Note that while pretty much everything is closed in the outside world, most places still have access to running and walking trails. It’s okay to go outside and go for a run or a bike ride! Just practice safe social distancing – maintain six feet apart from other people – and wear a simple cloth mask.

Keep Eating Healthy

Eating healthy is another major challenge for a lot of people during this crisis, for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, it’s critically important if you want to keep your mind and body in tip-top shape while you’re stuck indoors.

One of the reasons people fail to maintain a healthy diet during a quarantine situation is from a fear of going to the grocery store. It’s understandable – grocery stores are full of people, who are not always practicing safe distancing – and so people end up going to the store rarely, and stocking up on nonperishable supplies when they do. In this way, they neglect to buy the healthiest options, such as fruits and vegetables since these will run out quicker and necessitate another trip to the store.

Staying cautious and limiting your time in grocery stores is perfectly legitimate, but it doesn’t mean you have to limit your intake of healthy fruits and vegetables. Many places offer online delivery services, so you can have delicious veggies dropped off right outside your door without ever having to head to a physical store. Note that you can also freeze most items, so you don’t have to worry about them going bad.

Drink Lots Of Water

This one is worthy of inclusion on any list of how to stay healthy, no matter what is going on in the outside world. Keep drinking water! Dehydration has absolutely nasty effects on your body; including weakening your immune system and affecting your emotions and energy levels.

This one should be easier when you’re stuck at home, because you can simply grab a glass whenever you need it, and head to the bathroom any time the urge strikes you. Nevertheless, people often forget to hydrate, especially when they are stressed. If you really struggle with remembering to drink water, there are apps you can install on your phone that will help to remind you.

Of course, if you do go outside to enjoy your local running or biking trail, bring your own reusable water bottle with you. Avoid public water fountains, since these of course can be vectors for spreading the COVID-19 virus.

Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep

The public health crisis we are now dealing has left many people extremely sleep deprived. There are many reasons for why this is the case. The sudden change to routines and schedules could be a major factor; while people have been used to going to bed at a certain time, and waking up at a certain time for work, this may not be the case anymore for many.

There’s also the reality that anxiety, caused by the uncertainty of the times we live in, often prevents people from enjoying a good night’s sleep. Even if you don’t feel stressed or anxious throughout the day, all those worries and concerns can often hit you hard at night, keeping you awake no matter how tired you are.

Despite this, getting enough sleep is absolutely critical staying healthy while staying at home. The negative effects of chronic sleep deprivation are well-studied: anxiety, depression, and a compromised immune system are all among them.

One thing that may help is to try and maintain a regular sleep schedule, even if your routine has been upended by the shelter-in-place orders. You may no longer have to wake up at a specific time for work or school, but continue to go to bed and wake up at the same time anyway. Structure helps a lot when it comes to sleeping health.

The anxiety that keeps many people up at night might be a bit harder to deal with, but certainly not impossible. One thing that may help is a full-spectrum CBD product such as Rooted Hemp Co.’s Total Well Being Full Spectrum CBD oil. CBD oil has been in the news a lot lately for its many purported health benefits, including for anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia. A few drops just before bed may help with falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up well-rested.

Stay Connected With Your Friends

Humans are, of course, social creatures, and our mental and physical health depends a lot on our ability to socialize. Even people who are introverts and enjoy spending time alone require some level of human interaction or they will become listless and depressed.

We are fortunate enough to live in a time where plenty of technology exists that allows us to communicate with people all over the world. Take advantage of this! While you may not be able to see your friends and loved ones in person, apps like FaceTime, Zoom, Discord, and others can allow you to have virtual gatherings and catch up with the people you care most about.

Regularly chatting with your friends isn’t just fun – it’s crucial for your health.