Stay home, stay well: Keep your body, mind fresh

In the days of shutdown and social distancing, many people are finding it difficult to stay calm and keep anxiety at bay, but proper meditation and practical exercise can be helpful, said a physical education expert.

People should exercise and eat a healthy and balanced diet to keep fit as a strong immune system is an added advantage in the fight against Covid-19, said Jashim Uddin Ahmad, principal of Government College of Physical Education, Dhaka.

He also said people can take brisk exercise, stop smoking, maintain good nutrition and mental health to reduce their chances of becoming severely ill from the virus.

"Any activity is better than none, and more activity provides more physical and mental health benefits," he said.

Jashim suggested that, as many people are working from home, one should take short breaks after 30 minutes working in front of the computer.

"Stair climbing is a very time-efficient way to maintain fitness. So, people can do it," he advised.

The physical education expert suggested that people can do jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks, for 15 seconds each, then repeat the circuit five to 10 times, depending on individual stamina.

There are plenty of online platforms from which one could take guidance and keep healthy, he suggested.

Jashim said the whole world is going through a stressful situation and this could negatively affect the immune system, but a consistent yoga routine can help to deal with the situation.

He suggested breathing exercises are a good way to go about it.

"To start yoga, simply focus your full attention to your breathing. One should sit straight and then close their eyes. Then the person can take a deep breath and exhale slowly," he said.

Jashim said this is very good for the lungs and it is also called the lung exercise.

As lungs are worst affected by coronavirus, this deep breathing technique is a very good activity to practise.

World Health Organisation Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference recently said, "WHO recommends 30 minutes of physical activity a day for adults and one hour a day for children. If your local or national guidelines allow to go outside for a walk, [go for] a run or a ride and keep a safe distance from others. If you can't leave the house, find an exercise video online, dance to music, do some yoga or walk up and down the stairs.

"If you're working at home make sure you don't sit in the same position for long periods; get up and take a three-minute break every 30 minutes."