If
you look around lately you will see mass hysteria. Imagine waking up
from a month long nap into our current world. There’s no toilet paper,
hand sanitizer, or easy days at the market. In a matter of weeks we
have watched our strength and normalcy dissolve into fear and
uncertainty. Want to hit your favorite restaurant? Only as takeout. It
is a new world in a matter of days. The world has changed is not
hyperbolic but actual fact.
Here’s
the thing though: as much as we are scared and uncertain. The world is
not really all that different. It has changed on the surface due to
stress, fear, and health crisis. The economy is different. Our day to
day lives are different. But one thing has not changed. People. Us.
America. All the things that make us amazing. They still exist. We must
not forget. We are still the greatest nation in the world. I wouldn’t
choose to be anything but an American. And as much as our current
situation is scary we till must take care of our health. Perhaps now,
more than ever. I know you’ve heard all the big stuff: social distancing
(seriously, stay home), wash your hands (weren’t you already), and
don’t touch your face (okay, way harder than I thought). But outside of
these recommendations there are a couple ways you can manage your
health.
Manage
your stress. I know stuff is scary. But stress is devastating to your
health. So turn off the news and focus on what you can have some control
over. If you stress long term it has been linked to depression, sleep
problems, autoimmune diseases, digestive problems, skin conditions,
heart disease, weight problems, reproductive problems, and memory
issues. More important to our current world, stress can affect our
immune system. Stress produces cortisone, which can suppress the
effectiveness of our immune systems. What a world! Everything is
stressful right now. The economy is getting hit and we are in the midst
of a pandemic, but the more you stress, the more you leave yourself open
to issues. So if we can’t change the world we will have to change
ourselves.
- Go for a 10 minute walk. Fresh air, movement, and the outdoors are all associated with decreased stress.
- Get a plant. Simple right? But research has shown that being around plants can induce relaxation.
- Decrease screen time. Okay, I know this is a hard one in an isolation period. But too much screen time has been associated with stress and depression. It also messes with your sleep. So while you have extra time during isolation perhaps consider books, games, puzzles, art, crafts, etc instead of screens all day.
- Meditate! Ok, I know a lot of people think this is just some hippy stuff. But hear me out. Sitting quietly and meditating has been associated with: reduced stress, less anxiety, improved sleep, and pain control. If we are isolated anyway, might as well some of that alone time to our benefit.
All we can control is ourselves. We can’t control our environment or our stresses. But we can control how we react. This whole experience has shown us how connected we all really are to each other. As much as we all want to fend for ourselves, a pandemic teaches that we are linked more than we think. But being linked makes us taking personal responsibility more important than ever. So protect your health and your mind. Be patient and be kind to your neighbor. And please, save some toilet paper for the rest of us!