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Healthy Living

Don’t Just Stream During the Quarantine

Michael Todd, MD | Mar 13 2020
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How to stay emotionally and physically well as you face time potentially isolated at home.

This is unchartered territory for all of us. As a result of the rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), our country is facing one of the biggest health related challenges most of us can remember. We’re hearing words like “pandemic,” and “outbreak.” Many of us are taking heed to calls to “flatten the curve” by staying home whenever possible, whether exposure has occurred, symptoms are present or neither.

Should you find yourself indoors feeling isolated or fearful, here are my tips for how to stay both physically and emotionally well during this very trying time.

Stay Virtually Connected to Friends and Family

  • Use technology! FaceTime, WhatsApp, and Skype are at our fingertips, and we should use them. Stay connected to those you love. The emotional support of friends and family is an important way to reduce anxiety and maintain a sense of normalcy.
  • Spend your extra down time writing letters and thank you cards you’ve been meaning to get to. Gratitude and connection are important in times of stress.
  • Get in some quality time with your kiddos. Whether you play make believe games, or spend some time in the yard, immerse yourself in the joy of your children!

Find Mental Peace

  • This is another place where technology can be your friend!  Use an online meditation app to help center yourself when everything around you feels chaotic and uncertain. If you’re more experienced with meditation, practicing often and incorporating deep breathing can help you achieve peace of mind and physical calm.
  • Attend your church service virtually.
  • Start a journal. Now is a great time to get your thoughts out. Check out ideas online around gratitude journaling, which can be especially calming.

Get Moving

  • You can use online exercise groups and apps like Openfit or Peloton to find group exercise classes you can do right from your home.
  • Use time at home to tackle some of the spring cleaning and house projects you’ve been delaying. Checking items off your list will feel gratifying and help uplift your spirits.

Give Your Body the Fuel It Needs

  • While the steps above will help replenish your mind and spirit, it’s also important to fuel your body. Nutrition is an incredibly important piece of staying well in mind, body and spirit.
  • Use online grocery delivery services where possible to avoid stores and crowds.
  • Take time to try a new recipe filled with in-season produce and healthy proteins.
  • Don’t forget to stay hydrated! We’ve got lots of great resources on hydration and its importance right here on our blog.

What else? What are your best tips for staying mentally and physically well when stuck indoors? 

Stay updated on what Mercy Health is doing related to COVID-19.

Call our 24/7 COVID-19 Hotline at (888) 700-9011 for questions and guidance.

Michael Todd, MD

  As a member of the Mercy Health family for over a decade, Michael U. Todd, MD oversees clinical strategy for a variety of Mercy Health’s initiatives, including the ministry's employee health and well-being program for more than 33,000 team members, our direct-to-employer strategy, including employer partners and other outside collaborators, as well as the strategy and operations of the Mercy Health Executive Well-Being program. Prior to joining Mercy Health, Dr. Todd was global medical director for GE Capital, and his clinical background includes 16 years as a family practitioner in Cincinnati. Dr. Todd earned a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Duke University and a medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed his residency at Hinsdale Hospital in Chicago, and is board certified by the American Board of Family Physicians.

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