As soon as the coronavirus outbreak took place, a lot of emphases were laid upon maintaining physical health. Amidst no cure for the virus, the only way of protecting oneself was to improve immunity.
However, as the lockdown began, people started to realize not only was their physical health at risk but also their mental health. Staying inside the house, unable to go out to eat or socialize, and the fear of rising cases started impacting the mental health of all the people.
Social distancing and isolation, though crucial to overcome the virus, disturbs the mental health of a person in many ways.
Lockdown means you cannot go out to work, to college, or school, nor can you meet your loved ones. Initially, everyone thought it’ll be great to have such a long vacation; however, with the lockdown continuing for months, people are exhausted mentally.
Factors Affecting Your Mental Health
There can be various types of mental disorders and ways in which the pandemic has taken a toll on mental health. Let us put light on some of the crucial factors affecting your mental well-being.
1. Stress
Stress has been our constant partner throughout these months. The stress of catching the virus, the stress of spreading the virus, and even the stress of watching the number of cases rise.
Life completely changed within days for everyone. Within days, schools, offices, colleges, everything was shut. With everyone working from home and studying from home, it further increased the stress of families. We did not even realize how we were living in constant fear for all these months.
Causes of Stress
The common causes of stress these days are:
- The fear of catching a virus.
- The stress of not being able to meet family or loved ones.
- The stress of losing a job.
- The fear of being isolated.
- The fear of spreading the virus.
Coping with stress
Coping with stress can become arduous in such unprecedented times. You should make it a habit to perform some mindfulness activities. Some ways to reduce stress:
- Yoga
- Meditation or simply deep breathing.
- Physical exercise.
- Talking to your loved ones through calls.
- Spending more time with your family.
2. Anxiety
Anxiety is yet another factor that got trapped in one’s mind during these months. With so many things happening outside, almost everyone got a little anxious now and then. No one had ever seen or imagined that a fast-moving life would suddenly stop. Most of us had no idea how to live a life where we are not hustling. Sitting at home patiently made us anxious.
Causes of Anxiety
There can be many causes of anxiety in people. You can have anxiety due to previous medical conditions or due to this sudden change of events. Some common causes of anxiety are:
- External factors like a pandemic and social distancing.
- Cluttering of thoughts.
- Not being able to meet friends and family.
- The fear of being judged by others.
- Watching too much news and feeding in negativity.
- Spending extra time on social media.
How to Overcome Anxiety?
Anxiety is very harmful if left untreated. The more you start living with anxiety, the more it becomes a part of your life. It disturbs the mental health of a person in numerous ways. Some common ways to overcome anxiety:
- Supervise your diet and eat healthily.
- As soon as you feel distracted by a negative thought, stop, check, and change your thoughts.
- Avoid doing things that trigger your thoughts.
- Even if you catch the virus, stay calm and positive.
- Indulge in activities like deep breathing and yoga.
- Talk to your loved ones.
- Do the activities or follow the hobbies you like such as painting, dancing, reading, etc.
3. Sleep Deprivation
One of the most common reasons for disturbing mental health has been the change in sleeping patterns. As soon as the lockdown began, people completely ruined their sleep cycle. We think it is cool or normal to sleep late, but it has an adverse effect on our bodies, both physically and mentally.
Sleep Deprivation Effects
Incomplete sleep has an impact that you cannot even imagine. A sleep-deprived person can have the following effects on the body:
- The memory of a person starts to reduce.
- A person deprived of sleep will have mood swings.
- The immunity weakens in a person who takes less than required sleep.
- Hypertension and loss of concentration.
How to Improve the Quality of Sleep?
Good quality of sleep is crucial for the efficient working of the body and to stay healthy, both physically and mentally.
- Perform sleep yoga or meditations.
- Avoid using screens at least an hour before sleeping.
- Make the room environment cosy and distraction-free.
- Use incense sticks to set your mood right.
- Wake up on time to sleep on time.
Imperative Tips to Maintain Psychological Well-Being
Here we have suggested some tips for you to follow during these tough times to take care of your health.
- Work on a schedule even if you are working from home. Do not stress yourself out by hustling day and night.
- Make time for yourself. Watch movies, talk to friends, and binge-watch your favourite shows.
- Take care of your diet. Eat healthily, and do not miss meals. Eat fresh fruits and fruit juices to keep yourself hydrated.
- Indulge in the old hobbies that you left at some point in life. So, take out those ballerinas or paint-brushes and get to work.
- Make exercise a part of your routine. Simple yoga or push-ups are enough to keep the body active.
- Spend more time in nature than watching news channels.
- Do not hesitate in consulting a counsellor if you find it difficult to take care of your mental health.
Take care of yourself and your loved ones during these tough times. Stay strong mentally, and we’ll get through this phase as well.
