Coping with mental stress during a pandemic

By Alex K.

After 2019, the world was not aware that a pandemic may hit the world again. Therefore, nobody made preparations to deal with this type of catastrophe. The fear that things may spiral out of control and the world may shut down again is still a possibility. Mental stress worsens during the pandemic. The major cause of panic is misinformation or a lack of it.

Understanding mental stress

Stress is the response the body provides to intense pressure. New events, unexpected events, or sudden events sometimes trigger a stress response. Mental stress was a valid response during the covid-19 pandemic. Mental stress associated with pandemics is usually widespread. This is because of the fear of uncertainty and lack of information about the pandemic. Symptoms of mental stress include fear, anger, panic, anxiety, frustration, and depression.

Other than exercise, what else can be done?

Fitness blogs can’t stop talking about the immense benefits of exercising. They promise physical and mental benefits to health and wellbeing. But does exercise reduce mental stress? Exercise is one of the most effective channels of reducing mental stress. There is a tendency for the body to see rigorous exercises as an extra mental load. Besides exercising, here are the following ways to help people cope with a pandemic:

Stay connected with friends and family

Mental stress has an impact on family life and friendships. Stress can cause withdrawal from loved ones and it may also lead to a strain in relationships. To relieve the effect of mental stress on family life, keep the connection active. Be present in the lives of your family.  The stress may want to keep you away from family but it is the love and care of the family that can help you heal faster. When you open up to your family, the support you get can help you heal.

Take a break, press reset

Mental stress comes from the pressure of life; this can arise from family or work. The best way to heal is to press the reset button. Take a chill pill; take a break. This can be a night in the club, a week-long vacation in an island city or indulging in some flower power. Pick what works best for you. Remember that you are no good to your work or family when you suffer mental exhaustion or burnout.

Eat healthily

Healthy eating is the bedrock of good health. Healthy food is ideal for physical and mental health. People often wonder how to relieve mental stress by eating healthy. Malnutrition, indigestion and sickness can cause serious mental stress. Healthy eating keeps these symptoms away. It turns out an apple a day keeps a doctor away. It keeps the psychotherapist away too.

Get information about the pandemic

Lack of information is a major cause of mental stress and worry. The major cause of panic during the covid-19 lockdown was the lack of correct information. Misinformation on the internet further spread panic among people. There were several campaigns to verify the information before sharing it on social media. Contact the correct source of information on the pandemic to get accurate information.

Seek professional support

Sometimes the weight is too heavy to carry alone. Sometimes the journey becomes too far to walk alone. Therefore, it is very important to seek professional support for the well-being of your mental health.

Staying sane from home

The pandemic affected people’s personal as well as professional life. Many people worked remotely from their homes. Hybrid jobs started gaining popularity. People spend more time at home than they used to a few years ago. What can we do with all this time in our hands? Most importantly, are we keeping fit or healthy enough? Are you selecting the best foods to eat to stay healthy? Do you exercise to stay healthy? Here are five ways to stay healthy from home. You can prevent mental illness by keeping to these simple ways.

Keep learning

Learning does not have to be academic. It can be in pursuit of an interest or a hobby. Learning helps to keep you active. It puts people on the path of discovery in any field of choice. Wondering how to fold your napkins more excitingly? You can pick a class online to discover new and exciting ways to do basic things. If you love a more formal learning structure, pick courses that will give you value.

Soft exercises      

These are simple exercises that have low stressful movements. A walk down the street, lightweight training, simple exercises in water, among others. These exercises have very little impact on the musculoskeletal system of the body. Soft exercises help to keep you active and prevent mental illness during covid-19. The benefits of soft exercises include controlled blood sugar, reduced cholesterol, and sound sleep. You can take this as much needed exercise to stay healthy and keep fit right from the comfort of your home.

Help others

Helping others can be beneficial to you as well. Volunteering will provide you with an excuse to step out of your comfort zone. This helps to get you to focus on other activities. It can be a distraction from an intense activity or a break from mental stress. Whatever the case, this gives you a reason to step out of your house for a moment and focus on other environments. This also allows you to have and form social connections that may be beneficial for you in the future.

Yoga and meditation

Meditation helps your concentration and your ability to focus. This can bring people back to a mental state of productivity as a major mental stress. Meditation can help you gain perspective in stressful or difficult situations. Meditation can help you focus in a confusing, complex or multitasking environment. It can help you increase creativity, improve efficiency, focus on a goal or win in the game of tolerance. Yoga has a similar benefit to meditation but it combines a physical side to it. Yoga also helps you manage your mood. It increases stamina and strength. You can include yoga on days you feel like being active.  Looking for a less stressful exercise to stay healthy? Yoga and meditation are safe to start.

Own your space

Have you always wanted to change the colour of your living room? Well, you have time now. You can take interesting DIY projects that help you stay active and productive. Wouldn’t it be great to build a treehouse with a young member of the family? It will be fun to redecorate your sitting room. The fun part is that you can invite others to lend a hand; this way you can bond with others while making the changes you desire.

It is very important to take care of your mental well-being. Physical exercises, a healthy diet and good health are some of the ways to cope with mental stress. Spend quality with your family, learn new skills and use this time to grow your personal and family life.