The pandemic for COVID-19 has everyone nervous. Jobs are being lost and so many of us are spiraling into unemployment. While staying home all day, we are all experiencing what it is like to be stuck at home, with so many hours of the day unoccupied by work, friends, or our normal responsibilities and routines. This is proving to be a difficult time for those who experience mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Staying indoors with very little options as to what to accomplish each day, can cause us to stay up late at night, and then sleep into the early afternoon. How do we fight this cabin fever?
Yoga. As simple as it sounds, the benefits of yoga are insane. Not only does it stretch out your muscles, create flexibility, promote balance, and give you a kickstart to the day, but it can also highly reduce the influence of stress on the body. You can read more about its benefits, here! Set an alarm for a certain hour of the morning that you can bear to get up, and begin a few sequences of yoga, there are so many different teachings that can be found online such as Youtube.com. Next, this is something that I personally think is wise during a situation such as this. Take vitamins! I like to make sure I am taking a women’s multivitamin, allergy medication, emergen-c, and apple cider vinegar every day, to every other few days. Taking the correct vitamins for your body (consult a doctor first!) can help reduce inflammation, boost energy levels, promote healthier skin, and ensure you get the right amount of vitamin C, D, or E to aid in a healthier immune system.
After taking your daily doses, establish what you would like to accomplish for the day. This could appear as cleaning your room, mowing your backyard, organizing, or helping a neighbor. Set small goals up for each week that are easily attainable but will keep you occupied so you aren’t tempted to lie back into bed. Small activities that bring you joy are also a vital piece for those with mental health disorders as well such as painting, face-timing a good friend, or playing an instrument. Although we are stuck indoors away from social organizations, this does not mean you cannot go for solitary hikes, runs, or drives. Getting outside and boosting your heart rate can cause a surge of endorphins to floor your system which then promotes happier mindsets, can clear headaches, and bring ease to spending so much of our time inside.
Just a gentle reminder…
Remember that this is a difficult time for everyone and we are all struggling to keep paying our needed bills and making ends meet. Have a hope that things will get better and don’t abandon your grace or compassion towards others. Lend a helping hand when you can whether that may be leaving a small meal on a neighbors doorstep or mowing somebody’s lawn for them. Keep in mind those who cannot get out as easily, or those sleeping on the streets, are our neighbors too, and forgetting can leave others stranded or in worse conditions than yourself. Wash your hands, cough in your elbow, use sanitizer, and stay home as much as you are able. We will all survive this together.
A Happy Us, Is A Healthy Us!
