Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1400485
• Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep to help your body han- dle the stress of daily life. A lack of boundaries between work and home life from working remotely reduced sleep in the pandemic, and healthy sleep is necessary to good health. Research shows that blue light from our tech devices slows down the body 's production of melatonin, which is necessary for sleep. Don't use your computer or phone before bedtime. • Manage your stress. Don't worry about the things you can't change, and if you can change things that you worry about, change them. Stress results in poor sleep, poor dietary choices and poor health. Don't dwell on the past or worry about the future. Be in the present. • Don't commit to things you don't have time for. Learn to say no to things you don't want to do without feeling guilty. In our society, people feel that if they are not constantly busy, they are not doing enough. Take time to relax and do things that make you happy. Socialize and connect with other people. • Start slowlY to get back to where you were before the pandemic in terms of activ- ity. Build from there by adding more challenging activities and increasing the number of minutes you exercise daily, the miles you walk per week, or the number of days per week that you exercise. Make these subtle changes every few weeks to avoid increasing too quickly and doing too much too soon. Connect with like-minded people who have the same goals and get involved in a walking or exercise group. Turn off the T V. • Be capable, confident and connected. Do things you feel capable of doing, and you become more confident in your ability. Enjoy things you feel connected to. Instead of walking on a treadmill, which is boring, go for a walk along a stream. Walk with your pets and your family. Go for a bike ride. Enjoy the scenery and diversify your activities. • Go outside at recess and be active with students. Jump rope with them and get them moving too so they aren't just standing around. Instead of rolling out the ball, play ball with them. Your students will love it, and you'll get exercise, too. Lindsay Estrada ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF HE ALTH SCIENCE AND NUTRITION AT RIVERSIDE CIT Y COLLEGE AND MT. SAN JACINTO COLLEGE Riverside CCD Faculty Association Eric Abrams ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF KINESIOLOGY AT SAN BERNARDINO VALLE Y COLLEGE San Bernardino CCD Teachers Association • Make good dietary choices but don't stress about them. We have a diet culture where everyone thinks they have to eat a certain way, and they end up binge eating or making poor choices and then stressing about it and overeating even more. Try for a healthy, colorful diet, limit processed foods, but don't feel guilty if you enjoy a pizza on Friday night. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. Estrada, with her family, suggests doing the things that make you happy. Abrams enjoys the great outdoors. 19 A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 21