The coronavirus pandemic has caused all kinds of problems for society. People are falling ill, the economy is flailing, and, increasingly, people are beginning to experience mental health issues. It’s not hard to see why. We’re living in unprecedented times. The old rules and ways of being are out; a new, chaotic way of operating is in. It’s not difficult to understand why people may struggle with this. However, it’s also important to remember that there are things you can do to nudge your mental health in the right direction. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at five useful actions that’ll help to keep you mentally healthy during COVID-19 times.
Deep Breathing
Breathing is the answer to so many of life’s problems. If you’re feeling anxious, then one of the best things you can do is simply slow down and notice your breath. After thirty seconds, you’ll feel much calmer. And that’s just thirty seconds. If you make meditation an active part of your lifestyle, then you’ll find that you’re generally much more relaxed in life. The beautiful thing about meditation is that anyone can do it at any time. Even one-minute of meditation will help, but for the biggest impact, try to do at least ten minutes every day.
Take Precautions
It’s understandable that some people are worried about contracting the coronavirus. It has the potential to be fatal, but even if you’re not in a risk group, then it can still be nasty. In any case, it’s not something that you want to experience first hand. The good news is that we have a good understanding about how we can keep the infection at bay. If you’re wearing a mask and using hand gel, then you’ll be on the right track. You can also look for a store that has disinfectant wipes in stock, and fill up your home and workplace with those, too. You’ll feel a lot more relaxed knowing that you’ve taken all the necessary precautions.
Get Exercise
As well as breathing, exercise has been shown to be one of the most effective tools we have against poor mental health. It helps to get rid of nervous energy, and also gives your mood a boost, since feel-good chemicals are released into your mind when you work up a sweat.
Switch Off the News
You need to be generally in the loop, but you don’t have to know every single detail about the coronavirus. You’ll only torture yourself if you’re watching the news all day. Turn it off, and watch a happy show instead.
Know That It’ll Pass
Finally, be sure to keep things in perspective. Yes, the world might have gone a little crazy right now, but it’s not as if it’ll be like this forever. They’re saying that the first vaccines could arrive in the early part of next year. There’ll come a time in the future when we look back on this period as if it were a strange dream. So keep that in mind!
