Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our lives in so many ways. It’s been over a year now since we were first forced to live our lives under Covid restrictions, and the impact is still being felt across the world. Many people have lost their jobs, lost loved ones, and the impact on our health and general wellbeing has been enormous. I know I’m not alone in having noticed the negative impact that this virus has had on me. I wanted to share my experience and talk a little about the things I’m doing to improve both my physical and mental health.
The impact of Covid-19 on physical health
If you’ve been unlucky enough to have caught Covid-19, then you’ll know what an awful virus this is. Fortunately, I’ve been lucky so far, but my husband did test positive earlier this year and he was quite poorly. He is fully recovered now, but many people who catch Covid-19 then go on to suffer from long Covid. This means that their symptoms stay with them and impact on their lives for a longer time. This can be long lasting exhaustion, or breathlessness, both of which can have a significant impact on how people live their lives. It might mean that it’s impossible to work and this inevitably has a huge impact on mental health too.
Even those of us who haven’t suffered with Covid-19 are likely to have felt at least some physical impact from the virus and the restrictions we’ve been living under. For me, I’ve put on around a stone in weight. This has been purely down to comfort eating and lack of exercise. Some people have found that restrictions have made them more motivated to exercise and eat well which is great! But many more have found themselves in my position!
The impact of Covid-19 on mental health
One of my biggest struggles over the last twelve months or so has been my mental health. I’ve realised that I really need routine in my life in order for me to function and feel at my best. With all of my children at home, no school runs (which give me daily exercise and fresh air), no visits from friends and family – I’ve found my mental health has really suffered.
For those who have lost their jobs or found themselves on furlough, there is an even greater risk of suffering with mental health issues.
Taking steps to improve mental & physical health
I decided earlier this year that enough was enough. There’s no telling how long we will be forced to live with restrictions, so I decided that it was time to pick myself up and start to improve the way I live my life.
I’ve been working on living a healthier life which includes cutting down on sugar and junk food, as well as moving more. I’ve worked out how much weight I need to lose by using an Ideal Weight Calculator, and I’m now working hard to get my weight back down to a healthy level.
Being at a healthy weight will inevitably also help my mental health which has really been suffering recently. At the moment, I don’t feel good about myself, and this has a negative impact on my mental health. Getting more fresh air and eating healthier is also helping to improve my mood.
If you’ve found that Covid-19 has had a negative impact on your health and wellbeing, then even just making a few small changes could make a big difference. Think about how you could improve your diet by cutting back on sugar, caffeine and junk food, and try to get in a daily walk in the fresh air, and you’ll soon start to feel fitter and healthier.
