Living through a global pandemic is not a situation that any of us expected to be in. The knock-on effects of the novel coronavirus have led us to become more insular, isolated and anxious in our quest to remain fit and healthy. We understand that being obese, inactive and having an underlying condition can result in more severe symptoms should we contract Covid-19. This can heighten our worries, anxieties and emotions. Even if you have never been affected by stress before, a global pandemic can be just the ticket to get your intrusive thoughts stimulated.
While we struggle to adjust to the new normal of the world, we can develop a serious case of the coronavirus blues. You might be anxious about the stability of your job, being locked down at home might be super stressful, and you may miss the social side of life because of the social distancing rules. However, you don’t have to feel this way. It’s time to take your head out of the sand and find your mojo once again. Take a look at how you can beat the coronavirus blues.
Eat Well
The chances are that you have used the ensuing lockdowns, depressing evenings in, and time with your family as an excuse to eat all sorts of junk. While you were on a bit of a health kick before Covid-19 reared its ugly head, you now live off candy, fried food and take aways. This will do nothing to enhance your mood and will make you feel sluggish, morose and depressed. Instead, you need to revolutionize your diet to help you feel more energized and refreshed.
Swap your fatty meats for leaner alternatives, eat plenty of oily fish, and get rid of the beige food. Starchy carbs can make you feel bloated. Instead, eat whole grain foods and add the rainbow of fruit and vegetables to your diet. This doesn’t just help your mood, but the rainbow of vegetables helps to boost your immune system as well. Think of each different color as representing a different antioxidant. A colorful diet means an antioxidant-rich feast. As you begin to eat better, you will see the weight drop off. Shifting a few pounds and seeing your clothes fitting better again will help you to find your mojo once again. You’ll feel lighter, brighter and more motivated to seek a positive mindset.
Exercise
If you are stuck at home a little more than you would like, you might feel your life becoming more inactive. To combat this, you need to get off the sofa and forego the Netflix box sets. Head into the great outdoors and enjoy soaking up the rays of the sunshine. The natural light will boost your energy levels and will regulate your circadian rhythm. This means your nights of tossing and turning and insomnia may be no more. The better the quality of sleep that you have, the more reinvigorated and positive you will feel when you wake up every morning.
If you want to be more active but chronic pain and niggles prevent you from doing so, this can make you feel low. To combat these aches, consider applying a cbd pain relief cream to your muscles and joints. This topical cream contains hemp extract that can help activate analgesic compounds to help soothe pain. By decreasing your pain levels, you can then find the motivation to become more active. You can head out on a gentle bike ride, start increasing your cardiovascular fitness so you can run a 5k with ease, or simply go walking around your local area to breathe in some fresh air. Being more active allows you to surround yourself with nature outside. Greenery has been scientifically proven to decrease stress levels and boost the happy hormone, dopamine, in your bloodstream.
Stay Connected
A large part of these pandemic days has been our inability to socialize in the way that we wish. As human beings, we long for physical contact. It may have been months since you hugged your parents, perhaps you haven’t held your newborn niece yet, and you might miss those weekends dining out and being with friends. You need to stay connected as much as you can by staying physically distant but socially active.
Head online and download Zoom and Skype. These platforms are the ideal way to set up virtual meetings with your nearest and dearest. Seeing the smiling faces of your friends and family, even if it is on a laptop screen, can brighten up your day and lift your mood. Think about setting up a weekly virtual pub quz with friends and go on some online dinner party dates. At the end of every online meet-up, make sure that you arrange the next one. It takes effort to stay connected, but having that weekly meeting to look forward to can really help to banish the coronavirus blues.
Social Media Detox
As we spend more time at home, we tend to procrastinate a little more. If you are working from your study, you will have more time to venture onto social media platforms and scroll mindlessly through your feeds. This can expose you to a range of fake news and disturbing content about coronavirus. Being confronted by Covid stats all day every day is not good for your mental health. While the global pandemic is an important news story, you don’t have to be watching rolling news or welcoming these stats in your face without any rest bite.
Quitting social media for a little while can be daunting but it can also be worthwhile to beat the coronavirus blues. You will have more time to do more tangible and life-enhancing activities such as cooking, reading and learning a new language!
The coronavirus blues are a real thing that millions of people are working through as they adjust to a new normal. If you are concerned about getting stuck in a rut or you are overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety, follow this guide and bansh the coronavirus blues for good.
