People around the country experienced stress after the pandemic started last year. The stress came after authorities implemented lockdowns to prevent the spread of the virus. Even as people had several months to adjust to the situation, nearly 80 percent of American adults traced their stress to the pandemic.
While the end of the pandemic is nearing with the continuous release of the vaccine, it’s still important for people to take care of their mental health.
Have a Routine
The first thing people can do to reduce the stress caused by the pandemic is to have a routine to follow every day. This means they should set boundaries between their personal lives and their professional lives. This is particularly true for those who are working from home.
With this, they should follow their schedule and stop working once the time for work ends. They should also leave their workspace during their scheduled lunchtime or breaks. Additionally, they should also continue pursuing the hobbies that they had before the pandemic started.
Exercise Regularly
Another way to manage stress is to exercise regularly. Any form of exercise can act as a stress reliever since physical activity can trigger endorphins, which trigger a good feeling in a person. A person can exercise moderately for 150 minutes per week or around 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise. But there’s no stopping a person who wants to do both.
While people go about their work-from-home arrangement with their employer, they can take breaks and use them t for physical activities, such as chores or even playing with the kids. These short breaks allow a person to take his mind off work for a few minutes, helping him in the long run.
Additionally, people should set aside time in their daily routine for exercise. They can exercise at least 15 minutes a day. Subscribing to online exercise classes is also helpful. Aside from staying physically healthy and fit, exercising also allows people to maintain their mental health.
Explore the Great Outdoors
When the pandemic was still starting, people had to stay all the time indoors. They were advised to go out only to buy food and other essentials. With the relaxing of some restrictions, people can already spend some time connecting with nature. But they still need to follow health protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.
People can spend a weekend at a national or state park. Some of these parks are already accepting visitors and campers. They can also visit the neighborhood park or go biking. The important thing here is they get to spend time outside of the house. But they should avoid mingling with people who are not a part of their household. Participating in outdoor activities is a good way to reduce the stress built up over the months during the pandemic.
Use Controlled Breathing
Controlled breathing allows people to fight the feeling of being overwhelmed or stressed. It also allows a person to avoid the fight or flight response, suppressing the immune and digestive systems. This normally happens when a person feels stressed for extended periods.
Controlling one’s breathing allows the person to avoid the fight or flight response, which is beneficial to a person’s health. It calms down a person and brings the stress levels down. Performing controlled breathing exercises for five minutes every day offers many benefits to a person’s health. They can include these exercises in their daily routine.
Consult a Professional
Seeking professional help is also an option for people who feel that the whole situation is rather overwhelming. A professional counselor can provide the help a person needs to take out that anxious feeling they’ve had for several months already.
They can also try visiting an IV clinic to get a vitamin treatment to tale out the stress they are feeling. The treatment can also get rid of any toxins in the body and boost immunity and balance the hormones. But before they try this treatment, they should consult a professional to avoid any adverse effects, especially if they have an underlying condition.
Avoid Watching the News All the Time
Setting the limits to news watching can also help reduce stress levels. Watching daily updates about the pandemic can cause a person to feel anxious, especially when they see the increase in the number of cases across the country. Due to this, they can limit their screen time and try to watch good news about the whole situation so that they won’t be too stressed out with everything.
Reducing the stress in one’s life is a good way to remain healthy and fit even in the middle of a pandemic.
