Nazanin Mandi Reveals How She and Husband Miguel Are 'Keeping the Spark Alive' in Quarantine

Miguel and Nazanin Mandi have had to get a little creative with their relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

In a conversation with host Janine Rubenstein for the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, airing Wednesday, Mandi says their relationship "feels different ... but it's not."

"We were used to being around each other a lot, but then we were also used to traveling a lot," says the Dreamcatcher actress. "So keeping the spark alive was definitely something we had to stay on — because when you're in different cities, it's automatic to feel excitement [when you see each other again]."

"But being home [together] all the time, it's like, 'Okay, we have to find new things to watch, and to do and to read,' " continues Mandi, 34. "It was a lot, but overall, we did great. I have no complaints, [and] am grateful for everything."

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Overall, Mandi — who's also a model, singer and recently certified wellness expert — is "just so grateful to have [her] health" after a difficult 2020.

"Now that we've sat back and been able to just be still, you kind of really take into consideration what are priorities in life. And health is, like, the ultimate thing," she says. "Without it, what do we have?"

For Mandi, "It was at first very hard to sit still," as she's "used to going and going and working and being out and about."

"Having to be home and to be still, and really deeply thinking about everything that's going on in the world, it does something to you," she tells PEOPLE. "You have no other distractions but to just think about what is happening in this world and how can we make this a better place — how can we make an impact and make better choices."

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Mandi makes her horror-movie debut in the bloody, EDM-festival-set Dreamcatcher — a type of gig she reveals "was always on [her] bucket list."

"I grew up watching thrillers and horror films and I've just always been intrigued by it. So to be in one is awesome," she says.

And Mandi insists there's "an art to screaming in a thriller," that she had to get just right not only for the sake of her role but to make sure she didn't damage her body.

"You don't want to ruin your vocal cords; you have to use your diaphragm," she says. "It has to come from a really deep place. So I did practice that."

Dreamcatcher is streaming now on Amazon Prime.

Check out more from Nazanin Mandi's interview on PEOPLE Every Day, airing now on iHeartMedia, Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to your podcasts.