Managing Your Health and Moods During a Pandemic Is Critical
A pandemic wreaks havoc in several ways.
Firstly, it creates fear in people. They worry that they may get infected and die. Secondly, it creates a situation where massive changes and restrictions are imposed to try and curb the spread of the infections.
The second measure causes a loss of jobs, an increase in suicides, more crimes, more victims of child/spouse abuse and so on. This is collateral damage that’s unavoidable.
Thirdly, all the chaos and confusion affect people indirectly by adversely impacting their physical and mental health. The constant barrage of news on TV and on social media exacerbate the situation and your mind never gets a mental respite from the pessimistic situation.
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Managing Your Mental Health
The first step is to ask yourself how you feel. If you’re depressed, you may have feelings of guilt, thoughts of death or suicide, a feeling of worthlessness (if you’ve lost your job), insomnia, eating more or less than usual and a loss of interest in life that’s accompanied by constant sadness.
If you’re in this situation and struggling, it’s best to speak to a counsellor and get help. Sometimes you might even need medication to treat the depression. Getting professional help is crucial. Not everything can be solved with positive thinking.
However, if you’re just feeling down (instead of depressed) because life seems duller these days, you may wish to practice meditation. This has been shown to improve your focus and put you in control of your thoughts.
Practice journaling daily and express your emotions on paper. Not only is it cathartic, but if you write down what you’re grateful for, your moods will improve too.
Spend time having fun with your family. Laughter is the best medicine. Play games or watch a comedy. By breaking the monotony of staying at home, you’ll discover that happiness can be found at home.
Accept the situation as it is and don’t be too hard on yourself. If you get laid off work, don’t blame yourself or feel worthless. Associating your self-esteem with employment is NEVER a good idea. You must learn to be flexible and see what new actions you can take to remedy the situation.
By trying to live a life of purpose and knowing that tough times don’t last, you’ll have the strength to stay mentally and emotionally strong during a pandemic.
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Managing Your Physical Health
Take time to de-stress daily. Stretch your body once or twice a day. Yoga is great for this. The more movement your body gets, the better it feels. It’ll release endorphins that lift your moods.
You may not be able to visit a gym during a pandemic, but make no mistake here – you can get a solid workout at home too. You might need to make changes to your training regimen, but you don’t need to stop exercising.
Bodyweight training, Pilates, home workouts such as P90X, etc. are all very effective ways to stay in shape. Do not neglect exercise just because you’re stuck at home. People who are used to working out daily may feel lost if the gym is closed. But with a new workout regimen at home, you can still challenge your body daily.
Start making positive changes to your diet. Since you’re at home more, it’s best to cook healthy dishes for yourself. Include more plant-based foods and less processed foods in your diet. You may also wish to include supplements such as fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D, magnesium, garlic oil, curcumin, L-theanine and zinc.
The pandemic should NOT be an opportunity for you to gorge on junk food at home. Now is the best opportunity to eat clean and reclaim your health. You do not need to make the change overnight, but you must start effecting positive change.
This will not only boost your health and immunity, but will also help you shed the excess pounds and keep away other nasty diseases. COVID has claimed far fewer lives than diabetes, heart disease and the common flu. Eat clean and your body will be strong enough to ward off diseases.
By taking control of your mental and physical health, you’ll now be in the driver’s seat of your life. No longer will you be a buoy floating in the middle of the pandemic ocean being tossed around by the latest news and restrictions surrounding the virus.
This is your life. You’re in control. COVID exists, but you will overcome it. Stay positive and do whatever it takes to shore up your mental and physical strength.
You Were Given This Life Because You Are Strong Enough To Live It.