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Taking care of your physical and mental health is more important than ever during the pandemic.
Spending more time at home may mean we are not moving as much and changes to usual routines can also impact the way we feel.
Here are some simple ideas to stay healthy during this time:
Get moving – sometimes the hardest part is to get started. Try and set yourself a small goal to begin with, maybe 10 minutes of light activity such as a walk, each day and build it up from there.
Fresh air – playing cards or a game on your balcony is a good way to get some fresh air doing something you enjoy.
Phone a family member or a friend to say hello and check in.
Stick to routine – get dressed for the day, stick to regular exercise and meal times. Try and keep control of those things you can.
Sleep is vital to good mental health – try and keep regular bedtimes and take some time to wind down at the end of the day.
Get support if you need help – If you need someone to talk to during this time, reach out to your local mental health support services, some are listed here: https://tinyurl.com/mentallyhealthy-WSLHD
More ideas to stay healthy at home here: https://tinyurl.com/tips-healthy-home
Screens can be great for learning, play and communication but too much screen time is not good for us.
It can be tough trying to reduce screen time during ‘stay at home’ time.
Here are some tips to help your household keep on top of screen time:
Ensure what children are watching is age appropriate and set limits/parent controls if needed
Keep screens out of bedrooms, meal areas and bathrooms
Parent, carers - try to be good role models and reduce your screen time too
Help your child sleep by stopping screen use at least an hour before bed
Try and replace some screen time with some “green time”. Go for a local walk with those you live with, play a boardgame outside in your backyard or on your balcony.
Remember to keep COVID safe when you’re out and about:
Wear a mask
Keep a distance of 1.5 metres from others
Follow the restrictions advice for your area
Here are some other fun alternatives to screen time:
https://tinyurl.com/familiesfun
Connection with family, friends and others in your support circle is vital for wellbeing, especially during tough times.
While we can’t visit others at the moment, we can still connect in other ways.
Please take 10 minutes in your day to call and check in on your loved ones.
Many people in our community have language barriers, might not know the current health advice, or need some extra mental health support. Not only will they appreciate the contact, it may benefit you too! Take time today to help others stay safe by sharing the audio messages with your family and friends.
https://tinyurl.com/call-connect-conquer
Many people have lost their income due to COVID-19 and need support to get meals for their family.
There are a number of local food support services available that provide food at little or no cost including Anglicare - https://www.anglicare.org.au/mobile-community-pantry
For a list of more local services:
https://www.tinyurl.com/support4food
Eating well
Eating well
Healthy foods can fuel good moods!
Eating healthy food means enjoying a wide variety of nutritious foods from these 5 groups every day:
Plenty of vegetables of different types and colours, plus legumes like lentils and kidney beans (frozen vegies are good options too)
Fruit
Grain foods (mostly wholegrain and/or high fibre cereals such as rice and breads)
Lean meats and chicken, fish, eggs and nuts
Milk, yoghurt, cheese
And drinking plenty of water!
Try and limit the amount of foods high in fat, sugar and salt like biscuits, chips and pies.
Check out some budget-friendly healthy recipe ideas here:
https://health-promotion.nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/healthy-recipes/#budget-friendly
For more healthy eating at home tips check here:
http://tinyurl.com/food-lockdown
Healthy Eating Active Living - Healthy recipes (nsw.gov.au)
Getting home delivery during the pandemic?
Tips for choosing the healthier options:
Choose a side of vegetables
Opt for wholemeal varieties
Steamed or grilled food instead of deep fried
Be mindful of portion sizes
Avoid upsizing
To stay COVID safe, make sure deliveries are left outside your door and that you only open your door after the person delivering the food has left.
For more ideas on healthier takeaway options visit https://www.healthyliving.nsw.gov.au/top-10-healthier-alternatives
Need some ideas to help your weekly shop last longer?
Here are a few to get started:
Storing foods in a cool, dry place can make them last longer – for example, pumpkins will keep for weeks
Use fresh ingredients first so they don’t go to waste
Canned vegies, such as baked beans and legumes have a long shelf life and can be added for quick, nutritious meal. Look at the back of your pantry for cans you may have forgotten about!
Don't forget frozen vegies and fruit are also healthy options! Most fruits freeze well – chop them into smaller pieces and peel fruits with thick skins before freezing.
More tips here:
https://tinyurl.com/food-lockdown
Healthy Eating Active Living - Making your food go further (nsw.gov.au)
Keeping Active
Keeping Active
Did you know something as simple and fun as ‘play’ provides many health benefits?
Play can relieve stress, boost learning, connect you to others, and also make your work more productive and enjoyable.
Why not build some play into your day, and get the family active at home?
Here’s an easy game to get started:
Do you remember “Stuck in the mud”? You can play this indoors or in your yard.
Nominate a “tagger”, who chases the other players. When a player is “tagged”, they become “stuck in the mud”! They can’t move and must stand with their legs and arms apart.
The only way to be freed from the “mud” is for a non-tagged player to crawl between their legs. And then the chasing continues!
A great way to work up your heart rate and have some family fun.
Discover more ideas to keep the family active at home with fitness classes, active play, yoga and dance here – take a look!
Limited on space inside? No problem!
Try these BIG activities for small indoor spaces - paper aeroplanes, cubby houses, balloon tennis, toss socks in laundry basket or create a cushion obstacle course!
What are you doing at home to keep the kids active and occupied?
For more fun ideas for the family to be active at home:
PS. Don’t forget that physical activity can also help your child get a better night’s sleep!
While the world is pretty topsy turvy right now – it’s important to take time for self-care.
Staying active is a good way to support your physical and mental health.
Remember to keep COVID safe when you’re out and about:
Wear a mask at all times
Keep a distance of 1.5 metres from others
Follow the restrictions advice for your area
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/greater-sydney#greater-sydney-restrictions
Check out more ideas to look after your wellbeing here:
https://tinyurl.com/tips-mindfulness
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Taking care of your physical and mental health is more important than ever during the pandemic.
Spending more time at home may mean we are not moving as much and changes to usual routines can also impact the way we feel.
Here are some simple ideas to boost your mood during this time:
Phone a family member or a friend to say hello and check in.
Sleep is vital to good mental health. Try and keep regular bedtimes and take some time to wind down at the end of the day.
Get moving – sometimes the hardest part is to get started. Try and set yourself a small goal to begin with, maybe 10 minutes of light activity such as a walk each day and build it up from there.
Take some quiet time for yourself if you can. Do something you enjoy. It’s important to rest and recharge too.
More ideas to stay healthy at home here:
https://tinyurl.com/tips-healthy-home
If you need someone to talk to during this time, reach out to your local mental health support services, some are listed here:
https://tinyurl.com/mentallyhealthy-WSLHD
It’s natural to feel worried or anxious during these uncertain times. You’re not alone.
We’ve put together a few simple self-care ideas to help you keep your body and mind well:
Keep active - try and go for a short walk with a household member at lunch, even for 10 minutes.
Eat healthy – keep your pantry stocked with healthy “grab & go” snacks like bananas, wholemeal crackers and have a water bottle at easy reach.
Stay connected – humans need humans, so call up a friend or check in on a work colleague at least once a day.
Stick to a routine – create a plan each day, exercise at the same time so you can create a sense of structure.
Monitoring your mental health & wellbeing – COVID-19 is a challenge for us all, reach out for support if you need it.
There are many local support services available to help:
https://tinyurl.com/mentallyhealthy-WSLHD
Not getting enough sleep?
There's a lot going on at the moment and getting a good night's sleep can be a challenge.
Keeping a sleep routine can help you feel less stressed, more energised and improve your concentration. Some basic tips for a good night's rest:
stop using screens for at least an hour before bed
listen to some calming music
read a book
keep a consistent sleep routine
keep the bed for sleeping
For more tips to help you and your family get a good night sleep:
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