It goes without saying that the coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on our lives, stress levels, bodies and minds. Keeping active at home, however, can help you relieve stress and feel good.

In times like these, it’s important to keep routine where possible and ensure you are staying active to keep you feeling good, relieve stress and look after your happiness levels.

“Exercise has a multitude of mental and psychological benefits which can assist with the management and reduction of stress, anxiety and low moods,” says personal trainer, Dannibelle Robertson.

“One of the most famed effects of exercise is its ability to boost the body’s natural ‘feel-good’ chemical known as endorphins. Endorphins promote the feelings of happiness and euphoria which assist in the reduction of stress and help pull you out of low moods.”

1. Keep active as often as possible

Taking care of yourself is key during these times and this includes eating well, getting in some time outdoor and staying active.

“Although we’re all going through this unsettling time together, our own individual response, goals and motivation will differ. It’s important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally,” the personal trainer says.

“You should exercise because it makes you feel good to move your body not because you feel guilty for sitting at home all day.”

While we’re all under pressure to be productive or keep multiple plates spinning (like working from home and homeschooling at the same time), it’s important to not be too hard on yourself either. Do what you can, when you can.

“I think there’s a perception that isolation has given us unlimited ‘free time’ in which we need to be knuckling down to smash our goals but the reality is much different,” Dannibelle says.

“I believe it’s a time to reflect, to establish a new routine that works for you and to put in place positive goals for the future but above all, it’s important to be kind to yourself and one another.”

2. Find an exercise regime that you enjoy

With a lot of restrictions on us right now, the usual things that bring us joy just might not be possible at the moment. So this is the time to find a way of keeping active that puts a smile on your face.

“It’s really important to find what exercise you enjoy. If you find an activity you enjoy then you’re much more likely to do it and be consistent,” Dannibelle says.