A lot has changed over the last few months, with many of us working from home and getting our fitness fix in our living rooms.
Navigating this new norm can take a bit of getting used to. Your health is still the most important thing to us, so we’re sharing some easy tips to help keep your body (and eyes) healthy during life in lockdown.
Work-from-home wellness tips
If you’re struggling to get into the swing of things, here are some simple steps to help you stay productive whilst taking care of yourself. Spoiler: your PJs are off-limits.
- Start with a stretch. Without your commute, there’s more time for other things, like a morning workout, or if you don’t have time for that, try some simple stretches to get you ready for the day.
- Get dressed each morning. It might sound simple, but small steps, such as having a shower and getting dressed, can make a big difference to your day.
- Create a comfy office space. It’s the best way to set clear boundaries and help to keep your posture in check. Your laptop should be positioned about an arm’s length away from your face and placed at eye level. Try to match your screen brightness to your surroundings – too bright or dark can put an unnecessary strain on your eyes.
- Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water is a really easy way to keep your tummy full, your body (and eyes) hydrated and your energy levels up.
- Take frequent breaks. Sitting in the same position for a long time can leave your body feeling tense or achy. It can lead to headaches and dry eyes, too. Try taking 10-minutes at least once every hour. Get up, move about – just like you would in the office.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps to alleviate the uncomfortable effects of staring at your screen for too long.
- Stick to your schedule. Once the day is done, turn off all notifications so you can put your feet up and really relax.
Breathe some fresh air into your workout routine
Being active outdoors has heaps of benefits for the whole body. And with the warmer weather on its way, there’s even more reason to get out there.
Anyone who’s tried working out in specs will know that contacts are key when it comes to exercise. Unlike glasses, they won’t fall off mid-move or obstruct your peripheral vision, nor will they fog up or get splattered by the rain (or sweat!).
Lots of lenses have UV blocking filters, and though they’re not a substitute for sunglasses, they offer that extra bit of protection against the sun’s harmful rays. If you regularly work out outside or exercise for extended periods of time, you should protect your eyes with a solid pair of shades.
How to keep your contacts clean and comfy
Contact lenses offer us lots of benefits, but in order to enjoy these freedoms, we need to practice proper lens care.
How you care for your contacts will depend on the kind of lenses you wear. To clean reusables, squirt a little lens solution into the palm of your hand and rub gently with your index finger. Rinse the lens with fresh solution. Then, just repeat on the other eye. Check the instructions for information on how to soak and store your lenses. You can find more easy tips for cleaning your contact lenses here.
If you wear daily disposables, lens care is even easier – just throw them away or recycle after use. Regardless of the type of lenses you wear, it’s really important to wash your hands with soap and warm water and dry them thoroughly, before handling.
Never use water to clean your contacts or lens case
Water carries all sorts of nasty impurities that can contaminate your contacts and cause infection. Always use fresh lens solutions recommended by your optician when cleaning and storing your lenses.
Switch to specs if you’re feeling ill
As always, you should avoid contact lenses if you’re ill. Once you’re feeling better, you can start wearing dailies as you normally would. If you wear reusables, you’ll want to start with a fresh pair of lenses. This will eliminate the risk of exposing your eyes to any nasty bacteria that attached themselves to your lenses.
Check out this video for more information and advice from expert Philip Morgan, Professor of Optometry at the University of Manchester. Looking for more information on ACUVUE products? Head over to the ACUVUE brand store.