It is easy to feel overwhelmed and uneasy with the Covid-19 situation around the world. Many of us are either in lockdown or self-isolating situation. Some may have suffered substantial cut to their income because of this pandemic, some have even lost their jobs.
The never-ending negative news about the pandemic can take a toll on our mental health. While feeling worried and anxious about the situation is normal, there are ways we can adopt to increase our resilience during this time.
- Take a break from news and social media
The barrage of news about the pandemic all over the world can somehow lead us to feel depressed and can be disruptive to our mental health. There comes a point in time where all these news become upsetting rather than informational. Try to do some other activities instead of keep reading up on the pandemic. It will be beneficial to keep your mind sane.
- Exercise
Besides boosting your physical health, exercise is also good for your mental well-being.
Regular exercise produces chemicals, such as dopamine and serotonin, which are effective antidepressant medication. You do not need to go out to exercise. Exercising at home can be very simple and fun, you can refer to the yoga and workout videos on YouTube.
- Get quality sleep
Try to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. If you find it difficult to fall asleep due to the mental stress, you can take a hot bath before bedtime and dimming the lights in your bedroom to prep your body that it’s bedtime soon. One important thing is to avoid having screen time before bed. Do not look at your phone or your television.
- Cope with drop in social contact
You may miss your friends and loved ones during this lockdown period as you are not able to meet up with them, however technology makes it easy for us to connect with one another. You can still connect with them through video calls to alleviate the thought of missing them and also to check in on one another to make sure that everyone is doing fine during this period.
- Get Professional Help
If the self-help methods do not work, you may want to seek professional help about your mental stress. There are hotlines in your local countries which can render some assistance and counsel for your anxiety and depressive thoughts.
Share with us by commenting below how you are coping with the Covid-19 pandemic in your country.
Stay safe and healthy everyone!