Are you cooped up and feeling sluggish, bored, or even a bit miserable? Despite being confined indoors during lockdown, there are lots of things you can do to protect your health and wellbeing. Eat well Joseph Uwiragiye, the head of nutrition department at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), says although people are still struggling with eating healthy and maintaining the cycle throughout, when you adopt a healthy eating lifestyle, it has physical and psychological benefits. He says that several studies have backed this up and it has been established that a healthy diet is linked to a reduced risk of chronic ailments such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, as well as depression and anxiety, which are common conditions people battle with worldwide. For a balanced diet, he notes, focus on complex carbohydrates found in fruit; vegetables and whole grains provide important nourishment for the body and the brain, which slowly release energy and stabilise our mood. The nutritionist points out that a balanced diet ideally includes a variety of foods high in vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, as well as the minerals iron, zinc, and selenium. For the brain, Uwiragiye says, the B vitamins found in green vegetables like broccoli and spinach, beans, bananas, eggs are ideal. Sleep Sylvester Twizerimana, a clinical psychologist in Rubavu District, says sleep is essential for our bodies to repair cells, clear toxins, consolidate our memories, and process information. He says there’s evidence that sleep deprivation can have major impacts on our health in general. “If one doesn’t get enough sleep, this can negatively affect one’s psychological wellbeing including concentration and even the emotional intelligence,” he says. Twizerimana adds that lack of sleep can increase one’s risk of developing chronic health conditions, like diabetes, obesity and heart disease. He says a good night’s sleep is incredibly important for your health. In fact, it’s just as important as eating healthy and exercising. The psychologist notes that adequate sleep enables the body to repair itself and be fit and ready for another day. For this reason, getting enough rest may also help prevent excess weight gain, heart disease, and increased illness duration. Make exercise a part of you Grace Umurungi, a fitness trainer in Kigali, says the reason why health experts always recommend exercise is because it has immediate and long term health benefits. She says that when one is involved in regular physical activity, it can help improve their quality of life. Umurungi explains that this is so because exercise releases chemicals in the body that make us feel good, and it’s also been linked to better sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved memory and cognition. Umurungi notes that with the many physical activity videos on the internet, it’s important for people to use the opportunity to take part, especially now that it is required to stay home. Social connection Social connections are the relationships you have with the people around you. They may be family, friends, and co-workers, or people you know casually. Twizerimana says connecting with others is more important than one might think. He says social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy and actually improve our immune systems. Evidence shows that social connectedness is as important for our health as diet, movement, and sleep. Social interactions do not have to be face-to-face to be meaningful, one can connect with the people they love through video calls and channels like Zoom.
