Despite the gloom of lockdown, there are some flickers of hope for our health as people invest more energy and time in looking after themselves. With more available time, “I have no time to exercise” is no longer a valid excuse! We’ve learnt to use the power of technology to work out in smaller areas without the use of expensive equipment inside our own homes.

Lockdown has had a detrimental effect on most businesses, yet the fitness industry has continued to flourish with several organisations and independent personal trainers finding alternative ways to continue offering classes to their regulars as well as affordable online classes to newcomers.  

Along with the physical health benefits, keeping active has been a great way to ward off some of the psychological issues associated with being cooped up for an extended time. Exercise helps lower stress hormones such as cortisol and promotes the release of ‘feel-good’ hormones, such as endorphins. It also helps strengthen the immune system and lungs. 

The government has been implicitly encouraging regular exercise since the introduction of lockdown measures on March 23 and news and the media have been offering daily reminders of the importance of keeping fit, in a way that was not seen pre-pandemic. A Savanta ComRes study commissioned by Sport England (carried out in early April 2020 and surveyed 2,043 English adults) has found that a quarter of people now regularly undertake home fitness workouts – far above the UK's gym membership penetration level of 15.6 identified by the LDB's 2019 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report. Could better physical health be a "positive legacy" of the outbreak?

When gyms re-open we’re wondering if the trend of home exercise will continue. For some, gyms can appear mysterious, unwelcoming and intimidating, so online classes are the perfect solution. Some avid gym-goers may supplement gym-time with at-home workouts for additional gains. In the meantime, with gyms not set to reopen until July at the earliest we’ll just have to keep plugging away at our home workouts instead. 

Boost Oxygen can certainly help you on your home fitness journey. A few breaths of one of our invigorating aromas such as Peppermint and Eucalyptus will motivate as well as improve endurance and aid a faster recovery.  Research also shows oxygen therapy improves mental clarity and concentration allowing you to achieve a super-effective workout.