8 Tips To Help You Stay Healthy Throughout Lockdown

No-one saw the pandemic coming. And because of that, many people are starting to feel isolated or anxious about the world around them. 

With the government stating that the population should only go out once a day or exercise (unless they are a key worker), the negative effect on both physical and mental health is undeniable. But during this time, it’s important to try and stay positive, keeping in mind that the rules are only there to help stop the spread of the virus. 

Whether you’re working from home or not, it’s vital that you also try and remain fit and healthy throughout lockdown. It’s easy to lose motivation for going on a walk or trying to learn a new skill, but by doing those things, it will benefit both your physical and mental health in the long term.

If you’re unsure as to where to start with staying healthy, here are 8 tips that you can use throughout the lockdown:

Create a Routine and Stick to It

When you’re at home all the time, it’s easy to fall into the trap of an ever-changing routine. But by creating a routine and sticking to it throughout, you’ll feel as though you’ve achieved more and that there is a clear divide between the weekdays and the weekend. 

For example, as well as getting a good amount of sleep each night, you should try and schedule in regular breaks, including lunch/dinner breaks, movement breaks and a dedicated time each day for relaxation. 

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

Following on from the above, you should try and exercise each day. Whether this be in the form of a walk (whilst keeping social distancing rules of course!), some yoga in the garden, jogging or watching a virtual exercise class) you’ll feel a lot better after the workout. 

Get Plenty of Sleep Each Night

If you want to effectively fight off any bad bacteria, improve your immune system and help your mental health throughout this time, a good nights’ sleep is essential. Helping you to feel rejuvenated and refreshed, it should be one of your top priorities. 

Put Down The Phone 

Ok, so during the lockdown you might be tempted to go onto your phone. But by constantly logging on to the various social media channels and checking the news you’ll only feel more anxious about the situation. So to prevent this from happening, you should try and put down the phone every once in a while.

Taking care of your mental health is critical during this time, and there is so much online that will impact your thinking. So ditch the phone and go and spend time with those you live with or head out on a walk to help clear your mind. Alternatively, you could try a natural remedy such as cbd oil or soothing chamomile tea.  

Eat More Healthily

Ok, so this might sound like an obvious one. But it’s easy to have takeaways ordered or dive into the biscuit tin during the lockdown. As you won’t be able to go out to anywhere other than your walk/to the shops, you’ll be spending more time at home – and therefore, might be tempted to eat more/more unhealthily than you normally do. Especially if you’re relaxing or working near to the kitchen!

But during the lockdown, it’s important that you try and eat as healthily as possible. Although snacks and sugary treats may feel like a good idea at the time, it will only lead you to feel sluggish and unmotivated to exercise/do other activities at home. 

Similarly, try and make sure that you’re not overdoing it with the alcohol. Wine and beer are very sugary and are full of calories – so although the odd glass here and there isn’t harmful, a bottle of wine or several pints a night isn’t good for your long-term health.

Stay Connected With Friends and Family 

As no-one can see loved ones that live further away at the moment, it’s important to stay connected via technology. Helping to maintain your mental health and a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and family, there are several technologies that you could use – including the likes of Google Hangouts and Zoom.

As well as chatting with them, it’s also a good chance to plan a virtual quiz night, giving each of you the chance to plan some questions ahead of time. 

Learn Something New

As mentioned above, learning a new skill or trying out a new activity can prove to be very valuable in terms of your health. This doesn’t necessarily need to be a skill that involves a lot of exercise (although something like gardening can be very effective), but one that stimulates your brain. For example, you could learn how to paint, colour, bake; whatever takes your fancy.

Organise ‘You’ Time Each Day

You might start to feel as though you’ve got cabin fever or that your other family members are starting to get on your nerves - but don’t worry, those are feelings that the majority of people are having during the lockdown. To help with this, you can try and block out 1 hour or so a day for quality ‘you’ time.

Whether this involves running a warm bath filled with soothing bubbles, sitting in a quiet area of your home with your favourite book or another activity you enjoy, it will help you to relax and unwind after the day. This is a fantastic way of taking care of your body and mind, as well as being a key step towards a self-care routine. 

Final Thoughts

So, there you go! Those are 8 top tips on how you can stay both physically and mentally healthy throughout lockdown. What step you take, of course, is completely up to you and your personal preferences. But each of these steps can prove to be very valuable during this unusual time, either on their own or if you combine them each day! 

*Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels.

FOLLOW GIRLGONEDREAMER:

Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin' | Instagram

Subscribe to GirlGone Dreamer by Email

Some Tips To Help Cope With Anxiety*

Image Source Pexels

*This is a collaborative post*

How Anxiety Could Affect You!

With 1 in 5 people in the UK suffering from anxiety it is important to try and understand this enemy, which may lie within. That means statistically 2 of the eleven people in the image above (jumping for the snap) are actually suffering with anxiety. First things first, suffering from a mental health condition such as anxiety or even depression doesn't mean that you cannot lead a fulfilling life. Nor does it condemn you to lifetime of sadness, negative thoughts and self doubt (contrary to what some would have you believe). 

By understanding some of the potential causal factors and learning about how they can affect each and every one of us, we can then learn to adapt where needs be and how to successfully manage the anxiety in order to live the life you want.

Suffering From Anxiety Doesn't Mean You Are Weak

My own personal opinion with regards to Mental Health issues, we need to do our best to remove the stigma. We all know of people who are extraordinary and noted for their mental toughness and physical prowess yet whom have been stricken by the silent killer that is mental health. The Heavyweight Champion of the World Tyson Fury and former Fighter Frank Bruno are a perfect example of how success, mental fortitude and all the money you could want, does not protect someone from the dangers of a mental health condition such as anxiety.

Image Source Pexels 

As well as famous athletes and celebrities, there are a growing number of veterans who are now recognised as suffering from a whole range of psychological disorders, from PTSD to Anxiety and Depression, as a result of serving in hellish environments. I think people like former SBS soldier Jason Fox have done a lot to open people's eyes when it comes to understanding that psychological disorders are rarely to do with a person being weak. I mean you don't get much tougher, physically and mentally than an SBS/SAS soldier. Yet even that Spartan cast can fall prey to the ravages of mental illness.

In fact more soldiers from the first Gulf War have since committed suicide than were killed on operations or in combat by the enemy. More young men kill themselves than any other age demographic which is frightening. In the UK a man will commit suicide every 2 hours (on average). I don't like the phrase commit suicide in this case, of course it is a more salubrious way of conveying a tragic message, but I think to say that every 2 hours a guy in the UK will go and kill themselves, gets the message across a little more powerfully.

Image Source Pexels

What Can Cause Anxiety?

Despite the fact that the mind remains a mystery in large part, it does seem that there are certain causes and symptoms which can be directly attributed to causing the onset of a deteriorating state of mind. Anxiety can be triggered by everyday current life issues such as:

• Financial pressure
• Losing someone close to you
• Feeling lonely or isolated
• Having social anxiety
• Long working hours

It is not just current pressures which can cause anxiety, evidence overwhelmingly suggests that it can also be caused due to past experiences from your childhood, such as losing a parent, suffering, neglect, abuse, bullying or witnessing something horrific.

We all have some level of anxiety, and for some of us it occurs at different times, when I think of anxiety I think of the god awful feeling I used to be consumed by whenever I had to stand on a stage or have to speak in front of people from being a kid at school till my early twenties. Feeling sick, or the nerves before a big sports match as a kid, or the sinking feeling of opening that first page on a math test and realizing you are about to fail miserably. 

Image Source Pexels

It is good to have some anxiety, that feeling of unease when walking down a dark narrow pathway, part of fight or flight mechanism and a key instinct for our survival. I think it is an important point to make, that it is not a case of 'us' and 'them' with regards to how people 'without' mental health issues regard those 'with' them. We are all susceptible to suffering from a mental health condition, no one is impervious, no matter how tough, we all have a breaking point.

With 1 in 5 people suffering with a mental illness there is a good chance and let's face it, more than a good chance that someone you are close to, and someone you love very much is currently suffering with such an affliction, and perhaps unbeknownst to you they might be putting a face on it on when they are around you. Most people who suffer such things do not want to put their pressures onto the one's that they love the most. 

Sometimes it can be difficult for those who suffer to admit it to themselves, let alone to the one's they love the most. Again due to the stigma which still pervades and lingers like a foul phosphorous stench over a chemical works. It can feel to someone suffering anxiety like they are the biggest disappointment and failure and there is a huge sense of feeling like they have let people down. Which then can lead to more feelings of a negative nature and greater loss of self esteem and from this other issues can then arise.

Image Source Pexels

Some Of the Warning Signs and Symptoms

It seems at this moment that anxiety is not necessarily brought on by one incident but is most likely the result of a cumulative set of experiences. As mentioned, experiences from childhood are known to be some of the most crucial due to it being such a formative time in the development of the mind and brain, so experiences of a positive and negative nature can have ever lasting effects.

Worry, spinning thoughts and insomnia due to a racing mind that just won't 'switch off' are some of the most recognizable symptoms for those who may be suffering which can then cause issues such as a racing heartbeat, nausea, headaches and muscle tension. Please watch the video below for some pointers as to some of the signs of anxiety to look out for here.

Anxiety and Uniquely Prepared Lavender Oil

Research recently carried out has found that Kalms Lavender capsules can have significant impact on the brain in the treatment of anxiety. People can often be more susceptible to feelings of anxiety when they are really busy, or they are looking ahead apprehensively to a big event.

Image Source Pexels

The results of over 15 clinical trials have shown that a daily capsule of the uniquely prepared lavender oil can relieve the symptoms of anxiety, with benefits notable in just one to two weeks, and the benefits are comparable to commonly used anti anxiety medications. One study found that symptoms in 70% of those taking the lavender oil capsules were rated as ‘much’ or ‘very much’ improved when assessed at the end of treatment.

The anxiety relieving effects of these uniquely prepared, pharmaceutical quality lavender oil capsules are now available on UK soil, only in new Kalms Lavender One-A-Day Capsules.

So if you or someone you know is suffering from such symptoms as mentioned here then give your Doc a call and have a chat about how you are feeling. 

FOLLOW ME:

Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin' | Instagram

Subscribe to GirlGone Dreamer by Email

12 Things I Wish I'd Known At Sixteen

Looking back at any of my journals, you'll see just how naive I was as a teen. The long lists of dreams now seem ridiculously over ambitious and some down right impossible. Even more so when I remember just how fearful I was of life back then. Goodness knows how I planned to do half of the stuff when I wouldn't even say boo to a goose. Many years have passed now so I thought it would be interesting to write a list of twelve things I would tell my sixteen year old self if I could.


Dear Justine


1. You won't be married before the age of thirty and that's okay. Hell if you never get married that's okay too!


2. Stop being so afraid of boys. They're not an alien species although some might argue with that. Try talking to one once in a while. They don't bite.


3. The world isn't as scary as you think. Sure it's a scary place at times, but there's also a lot of good going on. Try and have a little faith in humanity. People will often surprise you.


4. Just because you argue with a person, that doesn't mean the friendship/relationship is over. People do row and it's completely normal.


5. You're not going to be able to change the world by yourself. Although changing the world frequents most of your goals lists, you need to accept that you can only do your bit.


6. Pretty soon you're going to be diagnosed with GAD. Later on down the line you'll also be diagnosed with OCD and depression. This doesn't mean you're a crazy person or a psycho. Ignore anyone that makes you feel as such. Yes you're going to have a really tough seventeen years ahead of you but once you come out on the other side you'll be stronger for it. Do not give up. Likewise, when someone tells you to 'snap out of it,' I'd advise stamping on their foot and running away! A joke obviously but I would indeed consider cutting anyone out of your life that brings you down. You don't need that shit.


7. You're going to start a blog. You don't even know what one is right now but trust me you're going to love it. It's going to give you a much needed confidence boost and you'll also get to know many like minded individuals. Some of whom will become really good friends.


8. Sadly, you're never going to be a Spice Girl (or any other pop star for that matter.) Sweetheart you just can't carry a tune! Do the world a favour and give that dream up.


9. You are not going to become a millionaire by writing a best selling novel. In fact you're going to have a love/hate relationship with your writing for many years to come as you battle with your mental health. Although writing has always been cathartic for you, don't force it. It will come naturally when it's ready. Oh and there are much quicker ways to get rich than writing a novel. Sorry to burst your bubble.


10. A bespectacled young boy called Harry is going to take the literary world by storm. Words like 'muggle' will become a part of daily life for a while. As will running at walls in the train station. Do not try this at home unless you're a descendant from a witch/wizard! :)


11. You'll make mistakes as you go along in life but you're only human. Treat them as a lesson learned and move on. Don't beat yourself up.


12. You're not going to be a teacher. Although you're going to college next week to enrol for your A-levels you'll panic and change your mind last minute. You'll end up doing a hairdressing and beauty course but this won't be your career path either. By some fluke (or maybe fate) you'll end up working for a dental practice where you'll stay. There you will grow and learn more about yourself and life than you realised was possible. You'll also meet some girls who will become your friends for life. Helen, Zoë, Dani, Tracy and the rest... :)



If you got this far, I hope you enjoyed reading. What do you wish you could tell your sixteen year old self? I could have carried on this list forever but that would make for a very long blog post. Have a fabulous week. I'm off for pizza!




Lots of love Justine xxx





Image via Pexels

Mental Health: Catch Up

Hey guys how are you all? I hadn't planned on writing another catch up post quite so soon but after the awful weekend I've just had I wasn't in the right mindset to write a 'proper' post and so you've got one of me rambling by way of explanation. Apologies.

I ended up going to see my G.P yesterday. To cut a long story short, I'm now back on my usual medication. In hindsight I probably should have known better. It's not like I haven't been here before but anyway what's done is done. Horrible weekend over with. Onwards and upwards as they say!

Thank you for all your lovely messages of support over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It really does mean the world to me.

Hope you all have a lovely evening. If you missed Sunday's post then be sure to have a nosey. The lovely Jemma of Dorkface wrote it especially for GGD. You can read it by clicking here.


Until next time



Justine xxx





Image via Pexels

Why I've Decided To Wean Off My Meds

New Year's Day was a lot of things for me. Productive and motivational yes. But it also marked the first day that I started to wean off my medication. It was a tough decision I must admit.

Which was going to be the lesser of two evils? No meds and risk going off the rails again? On a downwards spiral back into depression? Or stay on them and try to live in my more 'fuzzy' world, more relaxed somehow even though constant fatigue and forgetfulness plague me?

Most of those closest to me are reluctant at my decision and I get it, I really do. They've seen me through so many ups and downs over the years and I know how exhausting it has been for them. After all, I am shall we say 'more balanced somewhat' when I am on my meds. But here's the thing. I hate that I have to rely on medication. I want to try alternative therapies. I feel more ready now than I have in a long time. I've become acutely aware that I'm throwing 300 mg of a chemical into my body everyday and although I was okay with this in the beginning - I didn't have much choice - I'm not so okay with it now. Things are different. I'm different. 

I don't doubt that medication partly saved me from myself. But that doesn't mean I want to survive on it for the rest of my life. The G.P and I have agreed to reduce my dose gradually, but three days in and I'm already feeling the effects. I've been here before so I know what to expect. Withdrawal isn't a pleasant thing and I'm expecting my anxiety levels to worsen, but I'm also more prepared this time around. This is my choice. There will be no burying my head in the sand. I know this is going to be a rough ride but I intend to tackle any issues head on with techniques learnt in my therapy sessions.

I'm not by any means saying medication is a bad thing. And I certainly wouldn't want anyone reading this to feel that they too should stop taking their meds. This is a personal decision that I feel is right for me, just like it was right for me at the time to rely on medication when I was at my lowest.

Do you suffer from anxiety or depression? I'd love to hear what coping mechanisms you use.



Justine xxx




Photo via Pexels