Post-COVID - 6 tips for better mental health and physical fitness
Our mental health and physical fitness are closely intertwined. The so-called "mind-body connection" applies to all areas of our lives: our physical performance depends on our mental health and vice versa. Poor mental health can also have negative consequences in our relationships with others. It influences our motivation, decisions and actions.
During COVID, our physical fitness and mental strength have declined:
- Due to a lack of exercise, fresh air and social activities, fewer happiness hormones were released.
- A lack of vitamin D has led to sleep disorders and a poorer mood.
- The sugary diet of processed foods has thrown our insulin levels out of balance. This throws our energy levels out of balance.
- We have spent less time in nature and have therefore exposed our intestinal flora to fewer good bacteria.
Consider the physical parameters for your mental fitness
Our mental health is influenced by physical hormones:
- The stress hormone cortisol,
- The happiness hormone serotonin, which has a strong influence on our mood and sleep quality, and
- Vitamin D, which can cause sleep problems, bad mood and physical complaints if there is a deficiency.
The Mental Health & Stress Test analyzes how these hormones occur in you. We give you suggestions on how you can trigger more positive hormone impulses.
Create routines for better mental health and physical fitness
With these routines you can support the positive hormones in your body and improve your mental fitness:
- The start of the day shapes the entire course of the day
You can improve your mood and motivation right from the start with certain routines:
- The first 20-30 minutes without your cell phone - take time for yourself.
- 10 minutes of meditation
- Write your to-do list for the day. This will give you structure and an overview.
- Stick to a healthy, nutritious breakfast of protein, carbohydrates and fat. Afterwards, you'll feel energized and ready for the day. In the DALUMA stores you will find all natural dishes without additives.
- The Mind\Set Shot can help you regulate oxidative stress and increase your mental performance.
- Reduce the stress hormone cortisol
The stress hormone cortisol is stimulated by various factors in our everyday lives: we are under a lot of pressure at work and in our private lives. We can reduce stress through daily routines:
- Meditation
- Keep a diary
- A walk in nature
- Yoga
- Take a bath
- Listen to an inspiring podcast or read a good book
This way you can let go of the pressure and find mental strength.
- Activate serotonin production through exercise
It is not without reason that many people report a good feeling after a workout. The happiness hormone serotonin is released by your body during exercise and improves your mood. You don't necessarily have to do a super strenuous sports program to achieve this. A walk or a little dance to your favorite music can have the same effect.
Here you will find the DALUMA workouts for muscle building or weight loss.
- Increase vitamin D levels through sunlight
Our time in nature has been greatly reduced, especially during COVID. Fresh air and vitamin D not only have positive effects on our physical health. They improve our mood and our sleep. Through contact with nature, we get valuable bacteria for our microbiome, our gut health. If we take in more sunlight during the day, our melatonin production is stimulated in the evening and our sleep becomes more restful.
These little tricks give us more motivation for the other commitments.
- Keep your insulin levels stable for more energy
The balance of our insulin levels influences our energy levels. Refined sugar and short-chain carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly and sharply. It then falls just as drastically. At the same time, our energy levels fall. We feel sluggish and demotivated. External factors stress us more and cortisol is increasingly released. The highly addictive nature of sugar makes it difficult for many people to give it up. A juice diet, for example, can help to break out of this routine. The high vegetable content and avoidance of refined sugar can be a good start to a healthier lifestyle. We explain everything about the benefits and what you should bear in mind when choosing your juice diet and the entire process here!
You can find out how to keep your blood sugar levels stable during normal days here in the article.
- Distance yourself from negative emotions
Once we know our stress factors, we can better avoid them. Become aware of which situations, people or places particularly stress you out and how you can make the most of them. Every negative experience brings something positive with it. You have certainly been able to learn from it for the future. By making positive associations, we can prevent them from affecting our body and mind in the future. Meditation or keeping a diary, for example, can help us to recognize negative emotions and let them go.