Mental Health Tips during COVID-19

Hundreds of millions of people have had their lives overturned by the COVID-19 disease. Stress, anxiety, and grief about the disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions. In times such as these, our mental health can suffer which puts more of us than ever before in a struggle to stay well. To support you during this time I have put together six tips for coping with the stresses associated with COVID-19 and adopting a healthy, proactive response in your day-to-day lives.

Establish and maintain a healthy routine – Structure will provide a sense of normalcy in a time of uncertainty and will benefit us in the learning environment. For example, wake at 8:00 a.m., exercise, eat breakfast, put together a “to do” list, etc.
Take care of your body – This includes eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep, practicing mindfulness, and avoiding alcohol and other drugs. By definition mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Mindfulness can relieve stress, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep.
Limit exposure to social media – It’s easy to get hooked into hours of mindless scrolling, binge watching, or overwhelming news coverage. There are times when too much information leads to more stress so set boundaries for yourself. Mental health professionals are recommending setting certain times of the day to check your news feeds and social media, limiting yourself to one to three scrolls per day.
Stay connected while physically distancing – You can benefit from emotional connections with others where you can provide and receive support from each other. This can be done through technology and virtual meetups such as Zoom and FaceTime.
Practice gratitude - Tune in to the small, everyday details of your life and notice the good things you might sometimes take for granted. It's all about feeling good and shifting our mood. A good example is a gratitude journal; it is a tool to keep track of the good things in life whether big or small. This can be a peaceful time to just sit and write especially before bedtime.
Exercise universal precautions – Remember to wash your hands, avoid touching your face, cough/sneeze into your arm, or use a tissue. We need to eliminate handshaking, practice physical distancing, which is at least six feet of space between other people, and wear a face covering, when appropriate. Although these may seem like simple tasks, they can be extremely beneficial both for you and the people around you.

Resources
Covid Coach App
Psychology Today