How to Stay Mentally Healthy in These Stressful Times?

How to stay mentally healthy in these stressful times?
How to Stay Mentally Healthy. 2020 has been a roller coaster ride for all of us,  especially how everything came in this year. It has caused so much anxiety and paranoia to everyone, especially seeing a lot of people getting sick and dying of COVID-19. In other words, it has been a tough year. In times like this, how can we keep ourselves in good shape mentally? And what are the things we can do while most of us are staying at home?  

Eat healthily

There is a saying that goes “we are what we eat” and it is something everyone should prioritize during the pandemic, especially when we feel anxious or experiencing different stress. Going through anxiety and stress can either make us overeat or miss our meals. Therefore, we should eat healthy food so that we can maintain a healthy physical body and give us the strength to face our everyday battles.   

Exercise

Keeping yourself active not just boosts you physically but it has a positive effect on your mental health as well. Exercising helps release the “happy hormones” that can help you feel better even during this time of crisis. There could be limitations because we can’t go out, however, there are routines that we can do even at our very homes. So make some time for it.  

Do what you love most–passion projects

We used to live a fast-paced life before the pandemic started. However, this pandemic has taught us to slow down and to take a pause. One of the things that can help you cope with the current changes is to do the things that you love the most. What are those things that you are passionate about that somehow you find it hard to do before the pandemic starts? It could be the passion for arts or passion for plants or anything that wakes up the enthusiasm in you. So go ahead and do those things!   

Always make time for solitude

With everything that’s happening around us, it is important to make time for solitude. Solitude is a state of being alone but not lonely. It gives you more time to reflect and process your thoughts and emotions. Many people end up anxious and even depressed because some thoughts and emotions are not thoroughly processed. Solitude is one of the ways to take care of your mental health and well-being. So do not deprive yourself of some time alone, rather, give yourself some time to think of your current realities.  

Value rest

It is important to value rest. One thing we should always be reminded of is this: It is ok to rest. Many would surely agree that our life’s rhythms are in chaos the moment the pandemic started. It is easy to feel restless in times like this. Restlessness creeps at the moment you hear all the bad news happening or the moment you realize that there are more tasks at hand given the work from home set up. However, we are not just restless because of the tasks that we should accomplish, but in reality, we are restless deep inside. This is why we should learn to take a pause and breathe in. Do not overwork yourself and your mind. Put a premium on sleep and on your time for yourself.  

Find a support group

Community is really important because we are relational, however, because of our current situation, we feel like we are away from the communities that we have. The reality is, social distancing is encouraged but not social isolation. There are ways to connect to those people who can encourage you even in this time of the pandemic. It is your responsibility to find a support group. Do not wait for people to reach out to you, instead, reach out to them.   

Conclusion

Maintaining good mental health can be challenging during these trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we have to keep our mental health checked because if not, there could be a big danger awaiting us. However, as long as we stay connected with the right people and pursue the right things to do, then we are on the right track.

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