With everything happening in the world right now, such as the rising death tolls on TV and social media because of COVID-19, isolation brought forth by Enhanced Community Quarantine, unemployment, changes in body clock, and a constant feeling of uncertainty with what will happen in the next few weeks or months, people are becoming more and more stressed.
“Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.” This is according to Medlineplus.org of the U.S. National Library of medicine. And this stress can manifest in different forms such as lack of appetite, sleeplessness, headaches, anxiety, lack of concentration, and even illnesses.
However, there are steps you can do to combat unwanted stress so that you can maintain your mental health during the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
Divert Your Attention
One of the main reasons why you might be stressed out is because of your constant focus on the negativities around you. If you always pay attention to these things, which are beyond your control, then you will definitely be stressed out. Instead of dwelling on these things, do other stuff instead that will give you joy and make you more productive. You can try doing a hobby such as baking, painting, gardening, writing, or sewing. You can also try subscribing to Netflix and catch up on the latest TV series or watch the hottest movies. Do what you enjoy, and for all you know, the stress will just melt away.
Maintain constant communication with people
It is not good to isolate yourself during these times. You need to constantly communicate with your colleagues, friends, and family to ease your tension. This can be done through video calls, texts, or even personal conversations. Tell them what you’re feeling, share jokes, update them with what you’re doing, play a board game, or share recipes. With that, you are still maintaining connections while relieving yourself from stress.
Pray
Although many people are not spiritually inclined, praying actually helps. As mentioned by Rob Whitley, Ph.D. of psychologytoday.com, prayer can have a positive impact on recovery from mental illness and also on the well-being of people without mental illness. Additionally, studies indicate that regular prayer can be especially important for people who are lonely or socially isolated.
It just takes a few minutes to pray. You can do it before going to sleep or when waking up. Through this simple act, you would be able to lessen your stress and maintain your mental health.
Avoid always watching the news
Yes, it is good to be updated with the latest news on COVID-19, but it is better to sometimes give yourself a breather. Constant focus on death tolls, the number of patients infected by COVID-19, and the crashing of the economy will only cause more panic and stress for you. Inasmuch as you would hope for things to become better overnight, this is not the case. Cures and flattening of curves take time. So instead of focusing your energy on these negativities, it is better to make use of your time with other more productive things. And for all you know, things have gotten better with the passing of days.
Eat healthy and exercise
Although stress is a mental response, it also has a physical component to it. Therefore, you need to exercise and eat healthily. “Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that is the body’s natural painkillers, and mood elevators.” This is based on a study made by Harvard University. As a saying goes, you are what you eat. So if you eat healthy food, you will also have a healthy body and a sound mind.
