The world might currently feel like a very strange and scary place. If you have noticed an increase in your anxiety levels, or perhaps you are even experiencing depression with all these changes, know you are not alone.
Now more than ever before, we need to come together to support each other in any way we can. During this time of fear, let us share some helpful tips to help you manage stress and ease your anxiety around the virus.
But before we dive in, let us remind you to please wash your hands. It’s the quickest and easiest way to break down the virus. Also, make sure to avoid touching your face while out! Spritz some natural hand sanitizer on the handle of your shopping cart before heading into the store and keep a respectable distance from others. Only go out if you absolutely have to stock up, otherwise get cozy at home!
Here are our top tips to manage the stress and anxiety that you may be experiencing at the moment.
Look for the positives amidst the chaos
So we hear the term “pandemic” and naturally go into full-blown panic mode – this is completely normal! As human beings, we are programmed to react to fearful situations and a pandemic certainly falls into that category.
However, we tend to not look any further than that, and instead, allow our brains to create all sorts of doomsday scenarios which then may manifest as physical symptoms as cortisol, your stress hormone, floods your system. You may then start to think you are sick from anxiety symptoms alone!
Tightness in the chest, headaches, fatigue, flushing of the skin and dizziness are all common anxiety symptoms. Don’t let your mind try to link them to an infection.
You can check the news to stay updated but please don’t leave it on all day, it will only intensify your fear which makes things seem a lot worse than they are.
Focusing on the good things right now may help to alleviate some of your fears. For example, 80% of people who contract COVID-19 experience mild to moderate symptoms – some people may not even know they had the virus! And, 80% of people make a full recovery. We tend to fixate on the negative statistics, but it’s our elderly and immuno-compromised who are truly at risk.
Allow selflessness to be your main priority
Many people are so focused on their own health that they are forgetting the safety of others – those who may be at a higher risk.
Let’s shift our fear over our own health and move our thoughts towards higher-risk individuals, like our elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Taking extra care of ourselves is a great way to keep them safe. Staying home is the right thing to do, to avoid picking up the virus and then transmitting it to these individuals.
Also, why not pick up some groceries for your neighbour or share some toilet paper rolls with someone who hasn’t been able to find any? Keeping busy by helping others is a great way to focus on bettering our community.
Create a routine
Just because you may now find yourself working from home, doesn’t mean your routine has to fly out the window!
Use the time you would commuting to work, to spend more time creating a healthy morning ritual that will set you up for your day. If meditation has been something you have been meaning to start your day with, then now is the time! A yoga flow is always a good idea too.
Start your day with a mug of warm water with the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of pink salt. This helps to wake up your digestive system. Then, you might proceed with spending a few minutes of deep breathing and reflecting on your day ahead. Perhaps spend some time reading, writing, or listening to some soothing tunes, and take your time to enjoy a hearty breakfast before getting dressed and starting your day’s work.
Be sure to end at a good time so you have the evening to unwind. Having a routine is the best thing you can do to avoid simmering in scary emotions.
Boost your immunity and support your adrenals
Sure, healthy food may not prevent you from catching a virus, but a healthy immune system is key to being able to fight off any virus or infection. Perhaps add an immune tincture into your already healthy lifestyle for an added boost of nutrients, or try adding herbs to support your adrenals, which tend to take a toll in stressful times.
Our Immune Health tincture combines a potent blend of astragalus, Siberian ginseng, codonopsis, reishi, schisandra, and andrographis to help support your adrenals and boost your immunity so you can stay strong and protected!
Let this time inspire you to finally take charge of your mental and physical health! Since you’re spending more time at home, use your time wisely. Stay connected with those near and dear to your heart through technology, particularly those that have video capabilities. We’re grateful for these means of communication that are available to us.
We are all in the same boat right now, so let’s just be there for each other and know we will get through this together!
