Nagpur: If you are feeling like ‘kya garmi hai bawa’ right in the first week of April, it could be one of the after effects of last year’s lockdown. Rising temperature is not the only reason for Nagpurians feeling more heat so early this year. According to doctors, most of us remained unexplored to the last year’s summer due to lockdown, as a result of which we are feeling this year’s summer as more scorching.
General physicians are coming across patients with heat-stroke and dehydration in the first week of April, which is quite unusual for Nagpur.
“A person born and brought up in Nagpur used to be alright until 45 degree Celsius temperature. But, this year, many are feeling exhausted at 42 degree Celsius. We had to prescribe oral rehydration solution (ORS) and other general medication to them,” said Dr Sumit Pawar, who owns a clinic on Manewada Road.
Not just of bearing heat, but we have lost many of our abilities during last one year of changed lifestyle. Lockdown has adversely affected several soft skills of many like writing speed, face to face interactions and physical abilities like running, endurance etc. Most of us have missed our daily routine of exercise; many have stopped following diet regime, and many have gained excessive weight.
“Children used to write regularly as part of daily classwork. This practice has stopped in the period of online classes. When they will be back to school, we will have to start from the beginning,” said Dr Mrunalini Dasture, principal of South Point School. “We have to focus more on students’ soft skills, emotional quotient and counselling rather than academics,” she pointed out. Even the state and CBSE boards are aware of the fact that students have lost their writing speed. Hence, this year, students are getting additional 30 minutes time to write their board examination papers.
Dietician Malvvika Fulwwani talked about food related issues faced due to the year full of restrictions. “Lockdown has led to increased stress that triggered ‘carbohydrate craving’ in people. This resulted in to overeating. Many became obese and facing lifestyle disorders,” she said.
The Work From Home culture has brought erratic lifestyle changes like working late, waking up late in the morning, no fixed meal timings and increased use of electronic gadgets leading to eye problems and headache.
A recent study on health concerns during lockdown in Indian adults published in the International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health stresses on the need for monitoring and counselling of those affected with physical and psychological problems, especially students, so that they can cope up with their regular activities, personal and professional life.