As we head into the colder, shorter days of the fall season, it’s starting to feel like we’re getting back to normal. The dog days of summer can drag on and it is always difficult to shift our minds from the haze of vacation to the reality of getting back to work. When we are in the middle of that process, it can be very easy to fall back on some less than healthy tactics to get ourselves back in the mindset of being back at work. We push ourselves harder, we work late, we start to eat less healthily, and we ignore health issues because really, who has the time when you are working at least one full-time job and looking after kids? It is going to be especially difficult this year with the Coronavirus pandemic continuing to throw curveballs and throw up roadblocks to interfere with our plans.
But as we’ll discuss, the pandemic is one of the biggest reasons why we all need to start taking better care of ourselves. We all need to be looking for ways to treat ourselves a little kinder and to watch out for those issues that are all too easy to ignore. Here are just a few reasons why.
The Pandemic Is Ongoing
As much as we would all like to believe that COVID-19 is a thing of the past, the evidence suggests otherwise. We have seen just how quickly the situation can turn around thanks to the brutal impact of the Delta variant here in the US and around the world, and as we wait for those vaccination numbers to keep climbing, we are all going to have think very carefully about the measures we are taking to protect ourselves.
You should make sure that you are continuing to follow the established guidelines if you want to avoid any nasty surprises, which includes wearing facemasks indoors, social distancing where possible, and washing your hands regularly. It is also important to remember that it is possible to contract COVID-19 even if you have had both doses of your vaccine.
Health Issues Should Not Be Ignored
When you are stressed, overworked, or otherwise pushed to the end of your rope, it becomes all too easy to tell ourselves that we don’t need to worry about those nagging health issues. That headache is just because you haven’t had enough water, we think. That chest pain is because you had too much red meat last night and you haven’t been getting enough exercise. That tooth pain will go away if you just use more mouthwash. Now, while some of these answers may be true, they could all be great ways to ignore a serious health concern that is going to cause you real problems if you don’t talk to a professional.
During the pandemic, we all made a real effort to avoid talking to a doctor if we did not think it was urgent. But the truth is that health issues don’t go away if you ignore them. What’s more, it is not simply enough to wait for a warning sign that something is wrong. You need to be making sure that you are getting regular check-ups. There are many different health issues that you should be checking for regularly, including cancer. There are so many different forms that cancer can take, and you should be investing in regular scans. A full body MRI scan covers up to 13 organs and can take only an hour. For more information on full body MRIs, visit Ezra. Their scans allow you to take control of your healthcare and their specialists will talk you through every step.
The Fall And Winter Are Tougher On Mental Health
While there have been very few positive effects on the pandemic, it is hard not to feel glad that we have all got much better at talking about our mental health than we were before March 2020. We have all read the studies that have detailed how the isolation and worry have impacted our mental health and we have all been checking on our friends and relatives to see how they were holding up. In the months since the vaccines started rolling out and things started getting back to normal, we have seen reports about issues such as post-lockdown anxiety.
We know that the fall and winter will be tough as experts have warned about resurgences. But it is important to remember that this time of year can be hard on mental health for several different reasons. The lack of sunlight can really affect people, and if you are not getting out there and seeing the people that matter to you, will feel an effect. Make sure that you are still getting out for exercise when you can and keep reaching out to your friends and loved ones to let them know how you are doing.