Whether you are self isolating, working from home, in a complete lockdown or practicing social distancing; we are all struggling with something at the moment. It is a time of huge change and challenge for most people, whether it be financial, physical or emotional and these changes can impact our mental health.
Taking care of our mental health needs to be a priority for us all and here at HEALTHY MindBodyLife we have compiled a list of the best ways to do just that.
Get Dressed
With the changes of working from home, no reason to go out or newfound unemployment; it may seem easier to stay in your pyjamas ALL day.
DON’T.
Make the effort to put daytime clothes on every single day. The act of showering and getting ready will help make you feel lighter and fresher
Stick To A Routine
This is a biggie. We are all experiencing huge disruption to our daily routine. Simply create new habits and combine them with your usual routine and stick to it EVERY SINGLE DAY!
Set an alarm clock, shower, get ready, have breakfast just like you usually would. Now is a great time to start some new positive daily habits.
Avoid spending hours on end watching negative news reports or scrolling through your social newsfeed. Allocate time for these activities and stick to time limits.
Check In With Another Person
Try to have a connection with another person everyday. We as humans need and crave interaction. If you leave the house for groceries or another essential service, say ‘hi’ and actually have a real conversation with your cashier. Say hello to the postman, greet those you pass when you are outside exercising.
If you cannot leave the house, schedule your usual catch up with friends or family virtually. There are a ton of applications that are easy to use and very popular at this time. Have a coffee (or wine) date with your bestie on Zoom this month instead.
You may find that you are now in better contact with long lost friends than you were a few months ago as everyone begins to prioritise online communication.
Ensure you take at least 5 minutes each day and get your human fix.
Exercise
With gyms and personal trainers moving their classes online, working out has never been easier or more convenient. If you love yoga, join our live Online yoga classes, or pre recorded weekly class by emailing us.
Exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins are the feel-good chemicals released through exercise. Your body also produces serotonin, norepinephrine, BDNF and dopamine. All of which have huge positive benefits for the mind. The combination of these five chemicals will boost your mood, and have been proved to help to relieve both anxiety and depression. These chemicals have an instant affect on our happiness.
More importantly, making a small amount of exercise a daily habit, can make us happier long term. This happens by improving our health and increasing feelings of self confidence. We feel happier because we feel progress towards our goals. Exercise is also a distraction from negative thoughts and stress, leaving us with more energy for other aspects of life.
The type of exercise we do can affect our happiness. Studies show that medium intensity workouts can leave us feeling more positive than High intensity. HIIT can leave us feeling tired and potentially create negative feelings towards fitness
Schedule Self Care Time
Taking a few moments out for yourself for self care; away from negative media, your work space (that has likely blended with your home space), and the daily grind has never been more important.
Take time to enjoy a long bath, read a good book (even if it’s a few minutes a day), meditate or find time to spend in your garden or outside bathing in nature.
Be kind to yourself.
YOU DESERVE IT.
Find Your ‘Meaning’
If you have experienced drastic changes in your life recently, it can be difficult to find meaning in each day. ‘Meaning’ can be different for everyone, so I suggest avoiding comparing yourself to others. Some people will come out the other side of this in the best shape they have ever been in, with a new side hustle or having learned a new language or skill. For others, watching an entire series on Netflix may you give your life meaning, and that’s absolutely ok. If a good Movie fest gets you out of bed and makes you feel bed, then enjoy.
If you are looking for suggestions to help you find meaning, one of the best ones is to learn something, even if that means reading a few good books, like this one.
Know When You Need Help
It is OK not to be OK. If we need help, we just need to ask. Whether it’s seeking professional advice or just asking a friend for support and a shoulder to lean on. People don’t know you need assistance unless you tell them. So ask, maybe you will encourage another individual to ask for help that was too scared previously.
I hope these ideas can help support your mental health while you are stuck at home during this time. I would love to hear from you in the comments below on what you do to maintain your immune system.
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Lauren x
