COVID 19 has become the unexpected speed bump in all of our lives. The productive daily routines of millions have now been reduced to watching non-stop news reports highlighting every detail that we know (and don’t know) about this microscopic virus and its misdeeds around the world. Understandably, this abrupt change has left many people feeling lost with palpable symptoms of stress, anxiety, and other mixed emotions. While there is still quite a bit of uncertainty, I want to highlight a few steps you can take today to help battle those feelings of worry.
1. Acknowledge your feelings, and then dig inwards to find what you can control.
It is incredibly important to check in with yourself and acknowledge how you are feeling. While it may be simpler to bury your feelings and dive into other more “important” tasks, I encourage you to take a few moments daily to take a step back from whatever you are doing to observe your state of mind. Are you stressed? Are you angry? Are you worried? What are you thinking about? It may even be helpful to write the answers to these questions out.
Once you’ve named and recognized your internal state, dig deeper into reasons why you may be feeling this way. What contributing factors are in your control? What factors are not in your control? Shifting your focus, and placing your time and energy into what you DO have control over will increase your overall sense of well being.
2. Turn off the news.
The medical community is still learning about this virus, and while it seems things are updated rapidly, not much changes from hour to hour. News stories are often sensationalized and there is plenty of misinformation as well, which can all take a toll on your mental health. So, please, limit the time you’re spending on COVID related media.
I also encourage finding a reputable source to read from. Online resources such as the CDC, WHO or your local health academic medical centers are a great place to start! Many counties also have their own Public Health department websites with updated recommendations on COVID 19 specific to your area. Stick to these for reliable, updated information.
3. Maintain physical wellness.
Exercise when possible! I cannot emphasize this enough. Most people are now stuck at home, which means their daily physical activity may go down (walking to and from your car, to your staff lounge, to and from meetings, etc). Try to carve out some time in your day for some exercise! Many local gyms and personal trainers are now offering virtual workouts also. Help support their businesses while you keep yourself fit as well.
Some of my favorite ways to get moving at home include:
-SEVEN - 7 minute workout app
Don't forget that physical health doesn’t just mean physical activity. Along with exercise, sleep is incredibly important. Make sure to get your 6-9 hours daily!
Additionally, eat right! It is very easy to reach for those sugary snacks when we’re stressed, but instead, forego the processed sugars and aim to get your daily doses of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein in!
4. Maintain emotional wellness.
If you don’t take away anything else from this post - just remember this particular point. On a daily basis now, I find myself talking to patients about their emotional wellness, and I realize this is not just going to be limited to COVID times, but also a long term consequence of this virus. Here are a few tips I recommend to my patients:
Deep breathing: Breathe in and out, trying to focus on where the breath is most noticeable. Is it just outside your nostrils, your throat or in your abdomen? This is such a powerful way to bring yourself back in the moment. I personally like the 4-7-8 method. You breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and then breathe out for 8 seconds. Works like a charm, every time!
Meditation: Apps like Calm, Headspace, and 10% Happier are fantastic ways to introduce yourself to meditation.
Music can be extremely powerful in regulating emotions. Look for calm, soothing tracks that your body responds well too.
Mindfulness & progressive muscle relaxation are also great tools to explore
Should you feel that your symptoms are worsening, please reach out to your medical provider immediately. There are also psychiatrists and therapists that can help you get through this!
5. Stay Connected.
Even the most introverted of us need some social connection to maintain our well being. Thankfully we live in a time when technology can be used to keep us all connected. Use Facetime, Google hangout, Whatsapp, Zoom, Skype, whatever app you have, to check in with family and friends.
Think outside the box! You can play games together, karaoke, host a book club, have a tea party or even have happy hour!
6. Express Gratitude.
I have to give credit to my six year old cousin for this one. On my last visit home, at a family gathering, she forced us to all share the ‘sparkle’ of our day. It was such a simple and cute exercise, but really made you focus on the positive. We have a natural tendency to focus on what went wrong. Research shows, that gratitude, or having a grateful mindset, has been linked to happiness, improved health, increased ability to deal with adversity and build strong emotions. Whether you want to start a gratitude journal or make this a daily dinner activity, it's a perfect way to reflect on the positive points of the day in a time of uncertainty.
7. Practice the 5 key steps to tackle the coronavirus!
These are things you can actively do to reduce your chance of getting infected, and also spreading the infection. I’m sure you’ve heard about this over and over again, but since there have been talks about relaxing the 'shelter in place' in certain states, it’s worth saying this again:
Practice social distancing. 6 feet...at minimum.
Wash your hands! 20 seconds with soap and water!
Don’t touch your face
If you do have symptoms, please use a tissue or your elbow to cough or sneeze into. Avoid using your bare hands as you can potentially transmit the virus by touching your face/or other objects.
Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces
As we start to see flattening of the curve in many states, we want to be careful to reduce our chances of a recurrence, so these five steps will be just as important in the future as they are now!
COVID 19 may be the biggest disruption of 2020, but let's not let it take away our happiness and resilience. I hope these tips were helpful for you. We will get through this.
-Dr. Narula