Ethan Joo - Staff Editor
Even during these chaotic and stressful times, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one of the many important things that society must consider as we continue to live in our daily lives.
About a month and a half has passed since the start of COVID-19 quarantine, and many people are struggling to get accustomed to their new lifestyle. All people are to stay in their homes until the quarantine is over. Everything from gyms to libraries is closed indefinitely. One of the biggest challenges is staying mentally healthy during quarantine. Staying trapped inside all day can definitely have a negative effect on one's mind. One of the best ways to keep your mind healthy is to keep your body healthy. Being physically active is extremely beneficial to the mind because exercise releases tons of hormones that are beneficial. Exercising can reduce stress and heighten mood along with mental clarity. Although difficult, it is still possible to stay physically active during the quarantine.
Many students at Marriotts Ridge are dealing with this problem in many ways. “I’ve been going on jogs and moving around the house,” said Freshman Donny Pak. “I do these activities daily in order to have a routine I can stick to.” Going for runs increases your heart rate and gets the blood flowing to the brain, thus helping your brain stay healthy. “I’m truly upset about the fact that I can’t participate in any sports,” Donny explained. Nonetheless, jogging is an excellent way to keep your body and mind in shape during the quarantine.
Another good way to stay healthy is to do bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, situps, squats, and pull-ups. These exercises will keep your muscles in shape. Senior Andrew Ho claims, “I’ve been healthier ever since the quarantine started.” Since quarantines give people an immense amount of free time, it isn't surprising that people like Andrew are using the time to get stronger and eat healthier. In this case, Andrew has benefited from the COVID-19 break.
The mind and body are closely linked. It is important to keep both healthy at all times. Senior Brett Caplan has been taking walks every day along to keep his body in shape. Additionally, Brett has used meditation as a way to keep his mind healthy as well. “It’s an incredibly relaxing activity,” the senior mentioned. His physical and mental routine has benefitted Brett during quarantine. “I’ve found new ways to be motivated and got a lot of things done,” said the senior.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is during this break is difficult but not impossible. These examples show that anyone can maintain a healthy mind and body. Sticking to a good workout routine and diet can tremendously help when it comes to surviving quarantine. Like anything else in life, quarantine comes with its pros and cons. Some people view it as torture, other people view it as a blessing. Ultimately, quarantine is what you make of it. Quarantine is like any other challenge in life. Depending on how you react, you can either benefit from it or let it completely take over.