COVID 19 AND MENTAL HEALTH

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FA nurses in Catalonia establish healthy rules during the period of confinement due to the coronavirus.

Faced with the confinement of the whole Spanish territory to the effects of curbing the epidemic of the coronavirus, FA nurses (First Aid) in Catalonia recommend a series of beneficial habits during the period of confinement. This situation leads to major changes in daily life which can affect mental health. Thus, the Association of Family and Community Nursing of Catalonia (AIFiCC) offers advice on healthy habits to have during confinement.

First, FA nurses advise to have the most normal life possible. Besides, they assure that it is “healthy to establish routines, to get up as if we were going to work, to shower and to dress in comfortable clothes”. Food is another key aspect in fighting this situation. In this sense, it is also necessary to establish a daily routine and maintain meal times.

The nurses of the Catalan FA recommend to “get up every two hours and walk around the house for 10 minutes”.

Carrying out a physical activity is possible and advisable. So, the FA nurses created an array of simple exercises, such as stretching, flexibility and balance. They say that physical activity “improves physical fitness and emotional well-being, and even if we do it for a short time, it helps us be more agile.”

We must not forget intellectual work. In this sense, they ask the population to be disciplined and to focus on assigned work a few hours a day. Or, otherwise, “people can read, do crosswords or any other fun activity involving intellectual work”. The goal is to avoid a sedentary lifestyle.

Another basic aspect for our mental health is to occasionally disconnect from news related to the coronavirus. “It is about being informed, but we cannot spend all day on social media or waiting for each new message. This causes unnecessary anxiety which is harmful to health”, say the experts.

Sol, CEO de Sol Marzellier Traductores ^TM.Translated by Andrew, English translator of Sol Marzellier Traductores ^TM.