THE UNITED STATES- America has undoubtedly been ravaged by the disease that is the Coronavirus. With stay-at-home orders being implemented in many regions across the nation in an effort to control the spread of the illness, millions of Americans now find themselves confined inside their homes as they are forced to file for unemployment. It is estimated that 10 million workers are currently out of work due to their occupation being deemed “non-life-sustaining”, but how are they to transition from a 9 AM to 5 PM workday to on-the-couch 24/7? Similarly, schools in a vast amount of states have been “closed indefinitely” for the remainder of the year. How are students to go from a seven-hour school day to an all-day at-home day? What activities could these citizens safely partake in while at home so that they’re entertained while helping to slow the spread of COVID-19?

Mental activity is a crucial element of one’s health and well-being; exercising one’s mind reduces stress and anxiety, increases self-esteem, allows for better sleep, and boosts intelligence levels. At home, one may find it pleasurable to piece together a jigsaw puzzle, thus captivating their attention while enhancing cognitive abilities. Playing card games, such as solitaire, poker, and gin rummy, have also proven to stimulate the mind by improving one’s memory and thinking capabilities. Above all, reading is one of the most productive activities to increase brain power and sharpen the mind so that function does not decline with age. Research has even shown that reading fiction or nonfiction books has different impacts on the brain; fiction strengthens brain connectivity and intensifies empathy while nonfiction books educate individuals on real-life occurrences so that they gain perspective on events. Either way, reading is an almost guaranteed method of amplifying comprehension and language skills. However, there are a vast number of people who have trouble sitting down and focusing on the aforementioned tasks. They’re not in a hopeless situation, though, for they can still tend to their mind while carrying out a more enjoyable action; physical activities, including dancing and running, improve brain speed and memory, leaving one with an agile mind and body. 

The COVID-19 quarantine also presents many with the opportunity to achieve their fitness goals; the CDC has stated that 80% of American adults do not get the recommended 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week, thus setting the stage for health problems and other conditions as they age. Now, having some empty hours to fill, Americans can finally allocate time to exercising every day. Since the choice is theirs, citizens can try out a variety of exercises and select the ones that are best suited to them. For instance, running or walking outside or on a treadmill can reduce stress, improve cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, get rid of body fat, boost muscular endurance, and lower blood pressure; these results can also be obtained by cycling. On the contrary, one may favor a workout that will increase upper body strength and core muscles, so they can choose anaerobic exercises such as push-ups and crunches. One who does not wish to participate in such taxing exercises can still improve their physicality with yoga sessions to increase their flexibility, muscle strength, energy, and protection from injury. Despite which activities one has a proclivity towards, any exercise that causes one to break away from their sedentary lifestyle will be beneficial to their overall health.

Perhaps the aspect of life that has had the greatest number of restrictions placed on it is socialization; currently, many friends and families are maintaining a six-foot distance from one another as they try to avoid infection. Consequently, social distancing has left people feeling estranged from one another as their human contact is limited. Fortunately, there are a multitude of means that will permit people to reconnect while staying safe by using the technology of today to their advantage. One can quickly get in touch with someone via text or phone call; this allows for both brief and lengthy conversations that will allow one to check on certain individuals and keep them company during this tough time. Also, if one desires to have a higher quality meeting where they can have a visual of their loved ones, they can use FaceTime or download video chat apps (Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet) on their computer, phone, or tablet; these resources allow callers to have a clear view of one another as they recount the events of their day or work to complete homework assignments by using tools such as share screen. It is critical for one’s psychological health to remain social and concoct innovative new ideas that will enable them to talk to others and keep their attitude positive as Americans work to return the nation to its previous state. 

Though people may desire to get back to their normal daily routines, rules and regulations must be heeded, for they are being enacted for the benefit of those who fall under their jurisdiction. Adhering to these guidelines doesn’t have to be a chore, though, for Americans can occupy themselves by engaging in an abundance of activities while under quarantine; they can opt for whichever form of entertainment has the greatest appeal to them while they attempt to prevail against the Coronavirus. 

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