/How To Stay Mentally Healthy During A Pandemic
How To Stay Mentally Healthy During A Pandemic

How To Stay Mentally Healthy During A Pandemic

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In our fast-paced life, we do not have time for anything. Not even ourselves. With no free time, we are bound to get stressed out and anxious. Our culture has normalized anxiety to the point where it doesn’t matter if you ignore it. However, anxiety and depression are very evident and can hardly be ignored. The root of this problem can be anything. You can get anxiety about your work, or your studies, or even some personal issue. When ignored, this small issue can cause a lot of damage to your mental health. In most cases, it leads to depression. 

Once you get depressed, it gets much harder to cope up with life. You start getting lazy and lethargic. Start losing interest in life because everything else starts to feel menial. This slow descent into desolation can be tricky to deal with. Also, it further starts interfering with your work life as well. Affecting the quality of your work. If we take a further look into this, anxiety is one of the most common mental issues in the world. In the United States alone, an estimated 18 percent of adults are impacted by anxiety disorders every year. 

The level of stress in the general population has also increased due to the virus. Being quarantined and lonely can cause people to become more stressed out. This is all very new for everyone. Even though this pandemic has been going on for several months now, it is still challenging to adjust to this new lifestyle. 

In this article, we’ll be discussing how to treat anxiety at home using natural remedies. 

Exercise

Regular exercise is vital for having a healthy life. To keep a healthy and active lifestyle, you need to move your muscles on a daily basis. Exercise is also found to be great for your emotional and mental health. It helps an individual burn off anxious energy. Having just one tough session can help alleviate mood and get rid of anxiety for several hours. Exercise helps relax your muscles and relieves stress. You also release endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, which help stabilize your mood and release tension.

Try setting up an exercise schedule that you follow all or most days of the week. If you previously perform low physical activity, try starting with a few activities. Then increase as you progress further. Build up to a point where exercise begins to feel like meditation. Studies have shown that exercise is definitely a proper treatment for anxiety, especially in instances of anxiety caused by stressful situations

In the current conditions, try exercising in your home or run around the block. If you want to perform high-intensity exercises in your home, use bodyweight exercises. Try performing sets of pushups, situps, squats, etc. If you are a bit more eager, try looking into calisthenics. They don’t require any additional equipment other than a place to do pull-ups and muscle-ups on.

Aromatherapy

Being in the presence of soothing plant oils can assist you in decreasing anxiety and tension. Aromatherapy is highly beneficial for stress, relaxation, and sleep. The scents can be inhaled directly or can be added to a warm bath or a diffuser. Different scents work better for other people. Thus, here’s a list of scents that work best for a specific situation:

Lavender

Lavender is known to impact similarly as anti-anxiety medications do with some neuroreceptors. It’s also great to provide you with a good night’s sleep.

Lemon oils

Lemon oil provides a citrusy relaxing smell that helps soothe your nerves. It enables you to destress before sleeping. Providing you with a better quality of sleep.

Peppermint

It acts as a stimulant. It can help you become more energized and boosts your mood. 

 

Quit Smoking

The first thing that goes through a smoker’s mind during a stressful situation is to reach for a cigarette. It is embedded in their mind that taking a drag will help them release their anxiety. However, this is severely bad for your mental health, and it tends to get worse over time. Studies show that individuals who start smoking at an early age are more likely to develop an anxiety disorder during later ages. Studies suggest that nicotine, tar, and other chemicals present in cigarette smoke can alter pathways in the user’s brain. Thus, smokers are more likely to get anxiety. Also, staying at home all the time can also cause smokers to increase their daily intake. Try distracting yourself with other things that help prevent stress

The best option would be to quit forever. However, if it’s hard for you, try using nicotine patches. There are also chewing gums that contain nicotine. In the worst-case scenario, switch over to an electronic cigarette.

 

Get More Sleep

Sleep is the most important thing your body requires, after food and water. However, it is one of the easiest things to ignore. All of us skip a few hours of sleep to finish an assignment or meet a work deadline. Sleep is very easily compromised. This habit can cause individuals to feel more tired the next day. It can also make you more lethargic and anxious. You tend to become annoyed and agitated more easily. Lack of sleep can also cause insomnia in some cases. 

 

In order to fix this, try these few simple tips:

  • Do not read or watch television while in bed.
  • Stop tossing and turning. If you can’t sleep properly, then move to another bed 
  • Avoid the use of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine before bedtime.
  • Sleep in a dark and cold room
  • Have a proper sleeping routine and sleep at the same time every day
  • Avoid napping. Only sleep at night. 
  • Do not use your computer, tablet, or phone in bed.
  • Jot down your worries in a journal before sleeping

Adopt A Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is necessary under all conditions, no matter what. However, this situation requires you to eat more beneficial than you did before. People tend to consume more food when they are stressed out. Processed food comforts people as it is relatively easy to make and is readily available. However, the same processed food can have a very negative impact on your emotional and physical health. These foods contain artificial flavors, preservatives, and artificial colorings. A bad diet can also cause dehydration and decrease your blood sugar levels. 

Try keeping your diet in check by consuming foods rich in nutrients. Eliminate processed foods and stay hydrated. Also, try eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and ingest healthy proteins such as fish and chicken.

Experiment With Supplements

Supplements are given a bad reputation. However, instead of opting for anxiety medication right away, try using these few supplements:

Chamomile

If you’re feeling a bit too anxious, try drinking a cup of chamomile tea. It has shown to help calm nerves. It has a few compounds that bind to the same receptors in your brain as medications such as valium.

L-theanine(Green Tea)

Green tea is famous for its relaxing effects.L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea, which helps promote alertness and relaxation. It helps normalize blood pressure and raise heart rates as well. Thus, preventing anxiety.

Kratom

Kratom is famous for its effects on soothing pain and relieving anxiety. Also, the more potent strains of kratom can boost up your energy. It’s a natural herb with zero side effects if consumed properly. You can find kratom seeds online on kratom krush. There are many reliable vendors online.

 

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