Taking Care of Your Mental Health During The Coronavirus Pandemic
The last few months have been tough. We’ve been in lockdown, out of lockdown, and now some areas are going back in again. We’ve been working from home, homeschooling our children, and generally worrying about ourselves, our families, the future and the wider world. For people all over the world, life has changed massively. Your days might be completely different, and you won’t be alone if all of these changes have taken their toll on your mental health.
You might be worried about the future, most of us are while we don’t know what might happen next, or how long the situation might last. The idea of going to the shops, or to another busy space might make you feel anxious, and the uncertainty may be causing stress and sadness. You may also feel lonely, having spent less time around your friends and family, and staying at home all of the time might mean that you are struggling with focus and motivation. Huge ups and downs are to be expected, and you may feel completely exhausted by it all. Below are some tips to help you to take care of your mental health during this exceptionally challenging time.
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to boost your mental health. It can help to give you focus, give you something productive to do, boost your adrenaline and serotonin levels, increase your confidence, and so, improve your mood. Get some comfortable and supportive workout clothes from Curves N Combatboots, head out for a walk, or try home exercise videos.
Get Into a Routine
Routines are great. They make things seem more normal and help to provide certainty. Your routine is bound to be quite different to what you were used to before Covid-19, and you may have to change it again as the world adapts, but you can build a routine for right now. Fill your day with simple tasks, try new hobbies, and make time to talk to friends. Try to get up and go to bed at the same times, and stick to regular mealtimes.
Keep Talking
Many of us are finding that actually while we can’t see people in person, we’re spending even more time talking to them online. Well, we were at the beginning. If you are finding that contact with friends and family has slowed as time has gone on, make it a priority to keep in touch. The more you talk, the better you are likely to feel.
Stick To News You Trust
The news is scary, and often massively varied. If you are reading the news on social media, and from different outlets, you are bound to be getting different stories. Many will be contradictory, and most will focus on the negatives. This won’t help your mood. Find a reliable source, and stick with it. Avoid all other news, and your mood will improve.
Remember, this won’t last forever. While we can’t say for certain that they’ll ever be a vaccine, treatments are likely to become more readily available, and understanding of the virus will grow. We’ll also start to adjust to social distancing measures, and one day, there will be normal, even if it isn’t quite the normal that we had before. Take it one day at a time and try not to worry.
