The bad news right now is that we’re all in the grip of a global pandemic. The good news is that we’re going through it together. Nobody is immune to the effects of the current predicament, and most of us have been asked to stay at home for the time being to stay safe.
While you’re at home, your mental health may be taking a hit. Whether you have been isolating with friends, family, or by yourself, there will be moments every week, or every day, where you don’t feel like you’re doing so well mentally. The first thing that you need to remember is that you’re not the only one.
Many of us are suffering from mental health setbacks right now, as the world becomes more and more unpredictable. However, there are things that can be done to boost it, especially while we’re all still dealing with COVID. Let’s take a look at four ways to boost your mental health during the coronavirus epidemic.
- Look After Your Body
You might already know that your mental and physical health are closely connected. This means that if you’re not having a very good mental health day, there are things that you can do to take care of your body that can help.
If you’re looking after your physical health, this will greatly increase your chances of having good mental health as well. This is why it’s so important to treat our general health and well-being holistically – everything is connected.
Ensure that you're getting the right nutrients in your diet, and we recommend trying to get some physical exercise in once a day or a couple of times a week. This is also a great excuse to get out right now and do something different.
- Have a Good Support Network
No person is an island, right? Even if you’re going through the stay at home order by yourself, they’ll be people around you that you can count on right now. Whether it’s in person, or at the other end of the phone, having a good support network can make a real difference to your mental health.
While it’s nice to hear from people and have your loved ones check in with you, remember to reach out to them as well if you feel like you need a bit of human connection.
- Find the Best Relaxation Exercises
It's hard to feel like relaxing right now, right? There are so many things about the future that is uncertain, which of course is probably making you feel uneasy at best, and stressed at worst.
This is why there's never been a better time than right now to make the most of all the different relaxation exercises that are out there. While you may not find all of them effective, the best part is that right now, you have time. This means that you can have a look at what's out there, and establish which one resonates with you the most.
From praying to meditating and even practicing mindfulness, there are a number of practical exercises you can do to calm your mind and keep it relaxed. Even if you just resort to this when you're feeling particularly overwhelmed, it can end up doing you a world of good.
- Don’t Overwhelm Yourself in the Goal Department
Of course, we've all got a little bit more time on our hands right now. This means that for a lot of us, the fear of futility will soon come creeping in, and before we know it, we'll be wringing our hands with worry that we're not using the time as we should.
However, this couldn't be further from the truth, and if your mental health isn't the best right now, it's important to go easy on yourself in terms of what you're hoping to achieve over this time. Decide what you want to achieve during the lockdown, and write down the individual steps that you need to complete to realize these goals.
Remember, though, that you can aim high, but stay realistic. If you put too much pressure on yourself right now, you’re not going to do your mental health any good. This time is for goal-setting and goal-achieving, sure, but it’s also about taking care of yourself. Put that in front of any step you want to succeed in, and you’ll come out the other side better off.
