Caring for your Mental Health During a Pandemic
- 8 Minutes Reading Time -
With everything surrounding us including health concerns, financial woes, and news updates around the clock about COVID-19, it’s no wonder that most people’s stress levels are through the roof.
Though it is important to stay updated on the latest news and be aware of advisories and cautions as they are placed in effect, it’s just as important that we don’t make ourselves ill with a constant intake of media coverage - especially from the wrong source.
Instead, it’s wise to find a balance between staying informed and becoming all-consumed with the latest news. Try to fill your mind with positive thoughts, navigate each day one step at a time, and do whatever you can to take care of yourself and your loved ones.
Most of all, it’s important to be kind to yourself, take care of your mental health, and improve your mental hygiene.
Self-Check your own Mental Health
Loss of routine, confinement, and separation from loved ones can be a major cause of boredom, stress, and frustration. Other main stressors during this time can be a significant loss of income, financial hardships, medical conditions you may be dealing with, and treatments that may be required. Isolation can also intensify pre-existing emotional difficulties or stressors which, in turn, can further amplify feelings of isolation.
This is why it’s important to take a step back from time to time and check-in with yourself.
How are you holding up? Are you about to lose your mind or are you starting to create a new normal for yourself? Are you finding ways to be productive or are you struggling to stay focused? Are you caught up in all the unknowns, unwilling or unable to turn off the news, or are you focusing on the things you can control?
Because none of us have ever experienced something like this before, the reality is that there’s no way of knowing exactly how to respond. There’s no rulebook, no precedent, and no way to predict what’s going to happen from here.
So if you happen to feel extra-stressed, scared, worried, anxious, or a little overwhelmed, it’s important to know that you are not alone.
These thoughts and feelings are completely normal!
This crisis is real, it’s serious, and there are a great many things to be concerned about. We should be taking physical distancing and personal protective measures seriously and we should all be doing what we can to stop the spread of Covid-19 and flatten the curve.
Plus, when we’re worried or anxious, it’s only natural that we want to shake these feelings and feel better - fast! Sometimes we’d do just about anything to get back to feeling “normal.” And now, with a global pandemic at our heels, we’re all feeling a little (or a lot!) anxious and on edge.
But it’s important to know that while the fear, stress, and worry you may be experiencing might be completely normal right now, it’s not actually serving you. This means you have a choice.
You can let your fear and anxiety take over as you obsessively check the news, allowing yourself to be distracted by the latest headlines. Or you can choose to focus on something different - something you can actually control.
This can be easier said than done.
So, if you start to feel your mental health deteriorating and negative thoughts start to spiral out of control, it is within your power to do something to reclaim it. When times are tough, don’t shoulder your entire burden by self. Reach out to family and friends. Call someone or communicate with them online. Many platforms now exist that allow for “face to face” communication without the need to be under the same roof - or even in the same country.
It’s important to remember that as we are forced to stay physically distant from each other, it becomes even more vital that we do not lose the oh-so-important emotional connections we have with family and close friends. Just because we cannot physically go visit someone, it does not mean we have to remain by ourselves. It also does not mean that we are alone.
How to care for your mental health
So how do you improve your mental hygiene? Here are my top tips for how to manage your psychological health, boost your brain function, and take care of you in order to help you better cope with the current global health crisis:
Stay connected: I’ve already mentioned this, but cannot stress its importance enough. Just because we can’t physically visit family and friends or attend group functions, does not mean we have to remain out of touch or alone. There is a big difference between “physical distancing” and “social distancing”! Stay connected to the people in your social circle by arranging phone calls, video chats, or host group sessions on a platform like Google Hangouts. Who knows, you may even find the time to connect more often now than ever before! [1]
Remain positive: It’s easy to allow negative thoughts to infest your mind and take over during a pandemic. You may not know it, but it is possible to control your thoughts - even the negative ones! Avoid putting all your energy into thinking the worst or imagining “what if…” and focus on what is right in your life. Staying positive when the whole world around you seems to be crashing is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your mental health. Practicing good mental hygiene can help you go from being filled with thoughts of fear and anxiety to being filled with more positive and empowering thoughts. These types of thoughts can improve your brain function and give your immune system a boost at the same time. So how do we do this? Look for the pleasure in the everyday. Be grateful for the extra time you have to spend with your loved ones in isolation. Smile at the little things. And keep your chin up. Don’t think of yourself as being “stuck” at home. Replace that thought with the idea that you “get to be at home” then make the most of it.
Maintain a routine: Trying to keep things as “normal as possible” and maintaining a routine during your “new normal” right now can help your brain make better sense of things. Wake up at the time you typically would, go to bed when you typically would, maintain your personal hygiene, get dressed every day (though tempting as it may be to stay in pajamas when you know no one is going to see you), and continue your exercise regime. If you don’t follow an exercise routine, there's no better time than now to start! These are the kinds of activities you’d normally do, so continuing practicing them to provide a sense of purpose and help you feel better.
Be careful where you get your news: Stick to relying on only credible news sources for information on what’s going on in the world. Such sources can include the World Health Organization (WHO), Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins. [2] Avoid going down the social media rabbit hole in Facebook or Twitter, or putting any credence in news stations with their own slanted agenda. And please do not stay glued to your television 24-7. Limit your exposure to the news in general, and allow yourself to check for updates only at times you’ve designated to do so.
Keep your mind active: When you are spending a lot more time at home or if you happen to be self-quarantined, make good use of your time by engaging in brain-healthy activities. Pick up that book you’ve been meaning to crack open, learn something new, watch a documentary about a topic that interests you, pick up a new hobby or craft, spend time making healthy meals in the kitchen, or watch a comedy show - research suggests that laughter can even boost your immunity. Regardless of what you choose to do, mind your mind - it needs stimulation.
Get physically active: If you are not quarantined or sick, spend some time exercising outside. Of course, go out on your own and avoid groups of people. But if you can, spend some time out in nature every day - go for a walk, jog, hike, or bike ride to boost serotonin and brighten your mood. Start a garden, plant some flowers, or learn how to compost. Just remember that when spending time outside, make sure you practice safe social distancing.
Engage in deep breathing: Now is the absolute best time to take a few minutes out of every day (or every hour) to practice deep breathing. It doesn’t require any special skills, talents, or materials, yet can have a dramatic positive impact on your mood and overall outlook. Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 6, hold your breath for a count of 3, then slowly exhale through your nose for a count of 3 or 4. Repeat this entire process at least 5 or 6 times - longer if possible. Deep breathing can help relieve anxiety and depression, calm your nervous system, improve digestion, and reduce stress - all desirable outcomes!
Eat well: This tip should come as no surprise (coming from a nutritionist and all)! Ensuring you continually nourish your body with clean, real, whole foods is always a good idea - but now, it’s even more important than ever before! Nutrient-dense foods contain a variety of vitamins and minerals that we need to maintain a strong immune system and combat stress. Choose a variety of colourful foods to ensure you’re getting all the co-factors required for your body to perform at its best. Plus you can choose targeted foods like turkey, salmon, and eggs to give your serotonin levels (not to mention your mood) a boost. It’s also wise to realize that sugary foods are damaging to our immune system and overall brain health, so ditch the sugars and focus on nutrient-dense foods instead. Your brain will thank you.
Prioritize sleep: It can be argued that the most important thing you can do to manage your mental hygiene is to get enough restorative sleep. Restorative sleep keeps your immune system operating well, improves brain function, and allows your glymphatic system, activated during deep sleep, to purge debris and flush out metabolic wastes that have accumulated in your brain during the day. [3] The hard part is that when we’re anxious, stressed, or worried, it’s easy to toss and turn at night as thoughts race through our mind. So, to help you reap the benefits of a better night’s sleep, try improving your sleep hygiene. Darken your sleep environment, make sure your bedroom’s temperature is cool, set up a machine that either produces white noise or soothing sounds, remove your mobile phone from the bedroom, and avoid electronic devices for at least one (preferably two) hours before bed. Deep breathing and practicing other relaxation techniques when you crawl in bed can also help.
Managing our mental health through difficult times such as these is crucial. So take some time out each day and check-in with yourself to make sure you’re doing ok. If you’re not, reach out for help. And if you are, check-in with a neighbour or loved one to make sure they’re managing okay, as well.
The entire world is affected by this virus, so we’re all in this together. As such, it’s going to be together that we get through this. Hopefully, we’ll even emerge out of this as a stronger collective unit.
As always, I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Let me know what you’re doing to maintain your mental health during this time by dropping me a line or commenting below.
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