Most of us wake up in the morning, turning on the TV or using our cell phones to acquire knowledge about this rapidly emerging pandemic. Yet at times this relentless information and news bombardment feel overwhelming. It gives us a sense of how weak we are when compared to the powers of nature. Lockdown and self-isolation can also trigger our emotions, make us feel anxious or stressed. While these feelings are completely normal due to the unprecedented circumstances in which we find ourselves, it is important to reduce their impact on us both emotionally and physically. Continue reading for the ways to stay mentally healthy during the lockdown.
Ways To Stay Mentally Healthy During The Lockdown
Here are some ways to stay mentally healthy during the lockdown.
1. Meditate
Begin your day with meditation, instead of waking up to your phone. Research shows that meditation decreases Depression and Anxiety symptoms. Decent 10-minute morning meditation will considerably calm you down and improve self-consciousness.
But if you are not the kind to meditate, a perfect way to stay physically active and kill time is to work out at home. For both physical and mental health, anything that gets the heart pumping or helps build muscle is excellent. You can find online exercise videos, as well as tuning to the various live sessions of Instagram performed by fitness experts.
2. Get Creative
There’s a secret artist among us all. So let the imaginative being out and every couple of days make her/him try something different. Pursue the interest that you have long been unaware of. Draw, paint, sing, play an instrument, dance, use this entire time in your hand to let the artist build in you. You never know, you may just be amazed. You need not be good at everything, too. It’s important to just do these things for fun.
3. Connect With Family And Friends
While some of us live with our families through this lockdown, a lot of us don’t. We are away from home and we’re getting the worst of the situation. So, get your phone and speak to your parents. They have to be as anxious as you are, but expressing your feelings will probably make you feel much lighter and less solitary. Video call and share a laugh or two with your friends. Connecting with the people you’ve lost touch with is one of the best times too. Connecting, even if it is virtual, will considerably reduce stress by expressing our opinions, feelings and a whole lotta gossip.
4. Stick To A Schedule
Although most of us would love to sleep in because we don’t have offices to hurry to, our mental health must have a fixed time. It allows us to believe we have power over the situation. So take your meals regularly, and set time to sleep and wake up. Unorganized time is known to cause frustration, which can lead to anxiety or depression spikes.
Try to make to-do lists for the day too. At the end of the day, setting stuff off is therapeutic. Yet also, if you have not achieved anything, don’t beat yourself up. In the end, there’s still a new day.
5. Recite Positive Affirmations
Look in the mirror and say encouraging things like, ‘You are great’ and ‘You’ll get through this’ as you wash your face in the morning. Trust me, as it sounds dumb, in a hot second it increases your confidence. Don’t forget to smile even on yourself.
Another thing you can do is to write down 5 things for which you are grateful when you start or finish your day. Practicing appreciation for the stuff we’ve proven to have enormous benefits for our mental health.
6. Disconnect From Negative Things
For all of them, this is the most important. If all is overwhelming and will, limit and just breathe the intake of news and social media. To rejuvenate our mind sometimes it is necessary to turn off. Avoid news that might make you feel nervous, and choose to read realistic and helpful things. Also, it aims to absorb positive stories if possible.
7. Be Kind To Yourself
If you don’t feel like doing anything, that’s fine, too. Being good to yourself and knowing when you need a break is crucial.
“Take care of yourself, concentrate on your health and you’re going to get through that,” says Roberts. “Say to yourself ‘what I do is enough.’ Be nice to yourself. “Try to relax and reflect on positive stuff, realizing that every attempt is made internationally to put this crisis to a close, but it will take time.”
8. Volunteer
If you have found yourself on your hands with time, by helping those in the community who need it most, you can put it to good use. Check at local help organizations to see if anyone who is self-isolating can get medication or take their pet for a walk if they can’t leave the house. See food banks near you for donations or items that need to be sorted handily. You may also register for an NHS volunteer, who runs a ‘check-in and chat ‘ scheme to provide you with a list of disabled people to contact and to connect with a natter.
9. Breathing
I know everybody is breathing but learning to focus on your breath will help to alleviate anxiety. Seek to place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Taking in and out a slow deep breath, and see which hand is moving. If your hand moves on your chest, your breathing is shallow. Seek to focus more on air filling your tummy while you inhale and clear it as you exhale. It can be fun to imagine filling a ball with air while breathing in and blowing out bubbles. Keep on trying, it takes practice some times.
These are the ways to stay mentally healthy during the lockdown
This is likely to be a stressful time for us all and test the mental health policies and practices of many research institutes as well as the many others around the globe. We can protect ourselves and others around us by following good mental health and well-being measures and by relying upon others when necessary.
Also Read: Things To Do During The Coronavirus Lockdown
