How to Reboot From Unhealthy Pandemic Habits

The American Psychological Association said that the collective health of Americans declined while coping with pandemic-related stress. Stress leads to health consequences such as chronic illness and mental health concerns.

As things are slowly going back to normal, scientists noted some unhealthy habits that Americans need to get rid of.

Here are some of the bad habits noted during the pandemic that need to be rebooted, NPR reported.

Alcohol consumption

In March 2020, Nielsen reported an increase of 54 percent in national sales of alcohol despite bars and restaurants closing. A study also revealed a rise in heavy drinking among women in the following months. Dr. Aaron White of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism said that drinking was linked to stress and coping mechanisms brought by the pandemic.

The 2022 data on alcohol shows that it is higher than in 2019. Alcohol sales totaled $16.3 billion in 2019, then $21 billion in 2021.

Lesser physical activity

According to the wellness smartphone app Argus, people took 27 percent fewer steps a day one month after the government initiated the stay-at-home restriction in 2020. While the ordinary people moved less, some used their time to get fit.

A cardiologist at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), Geoff Tison, said that physical activity levels have increased but have not rebounded to pre-pandemic levels yet.

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Weight gain

The UCSF tracked weight gain in the early months of the pandemic, and the research team recorded an average of 1.5 pounds of weight gain per month.

During the pandemic's start, researchers documented an increase in blood pressure. The research involved 500,000 people from 50 states enrolled in an employer-sponsored wellness program operated by Quest Diagnostics.

Health experts worry that this increase may lead to higher rates of heart attack, stroke, and other related complications across the population in the coming years. Blood pressure went up on the average of two points, or two millimeters of mercury.

Study author Dr. Gregory Marcus of UCSF said it's too easy to overeat as most people stay at home more. The combined effects of weight gain, stress, alcohol, and less movement took a toll on cardio health.

Most people have also missed preventive care during the pandemic. This would include vulnerable patients delayed in cholesterol checks to cancer screening, which leads to cancer being detected at a later stage.

Here are some tips that can help in rebooting bad habits:

Set a Calendar for Plans

It helps to set a schedule of appointments for various reasons like doctor's appointments to check general well-being, workouts, or physical activity. Do not just plan it. Make sure it is on the priority list of activities.

Starting small

Take simple steps to start with the reboot. Aim on bite-sized goals like if you plan on starting running again, jog for a mile. If the concern is food, create a gradual plan to minimize food intake. If cutting on alcohol, try lessening the amount per day-one step at a time.

Make it fun

Make sure to achieve goals and enjoy at the same time. For instance, if reconnecting with a friend, ask them to join you for a walk so you can talk and at the same time hit your exercise goal.

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