The pandemic presented us with many challenges we could never have imagined. However, many of us have found ways to overcome these challenges and have embraced positive ways to improve our physical and mental health.
In some uplifting news, a recent survey found that over 80% of Americans have stated that they intend to practice regular self-care, even after the pandemic ends. It's empowering to see so many people invest their energy into taking care of their physical and mental health during a difficult time. However, sometimes it’s hard to know how to get started.
In this special guest blog, Dan Matthews shares a simple and accessible guide to taking care of your mind and body in a post-pandemic world.
Sleep
Not only did the pandemic affect many aspects of our daily lives, for most people our sleeping patterns were also disturbed. Research shows that stress and uncertainty can make it difficult to drift off, so in a way this was to be expected. The many rules that came into effect during COVID-19, including social distancing and stay-at-home restrictions keeping us cooped up for safety, also made it difficult to stick to healthy sleeping routines.
It is important to note that it is very much possible to get your sleep back on track and overcome “Coronosomnia”. You can address coronasomnia by considering these sleep-positive steps:
Try incorporating a sleep routine: allow yourself to adopt healthy habits each evening such as taking a walk just before dusk to wind down, take some time to read, or enjoy a hot, soothing bath before bed. Additionally, aiming to cutting down on the use of screens that emit blue light in the evenings can have positive effects over time.
Log off more often: a large portion of us work from home now and with this in mind, it can be tempting to log in and check your emails in the evenings. However, this can make it little harder to drift off into REM sleep. Instead, try your best to maintain a boundary with day time working hours, and refrain from engaging in work devices in the evenings where possible.
Check in with an expert: sleep specialists can usually spot the “thing” which is making it hard for you to hit the hay or drift off. They can offer helpful, practical advice to help you address insomnia, so you can start getting a better night's sleep.
Sleep is crucially important for our day-to-day wellbeing, as it affects our thoughts, feelings, behaviours and cognitive functions in the brain. A good night's sleep helps us to stay focused and energised during the day, improving our physical and mental health.
Energy
A good night’s sleep is one of the best ways to feel energised and invigorated throughout the day. However, it won’t always feel possible to get the recommended seven-nine hours sleep per night, depending on the circumstances you’re experiencing in your life at that time. In many cases, you might find yourself feeling a little fatigued even if you have gotten enough shut-eye, which can feel confusing.
Before you reach for the extra coffee cup to boost your energy levels, you might want to consider taking a few health-positive energising steps first:
A quick yoga flow might help you to “wake up” physically and mentally.
Staying hydrated helps you feel refreshed, even a quick glass of water can help you to perk up. Doing this right after you wake up in the morning can also help to boost your energy.
Try some breathing exercises to help you feel calm and improve your focus, this can also help you to relax any anxieties you may be feeling.
Get some sunlight by taking a walk, relaxing in the garden, or enjoying a local park.
Finding energy during a midday slump can be difficult, however you can still take proactive steps to ensure you give your mind and body the boost it needs.
Diet
Your diet affects everything, from your mood, to your energy levels and physical health. So, it’s not surprising that recent research advocates for an integrated mind-body approach towards nutrition, where we try our best to eat foods that help our bodies stay healthy and make us feel good.
In particular, you can consider increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables, as their vitamins and minerals have shown to assist with helping to protect our mental health as well as improve our energy.
Additionally, your body will thank you for staying away from too many processed foods where possible. While it’s all about having a balanced diet, too many additives like sugars and oils don’t do our minds or bodies many favours. Of course, it may not be possible to entirely cut out processed foods - particularly if you live a busy lifestyle - however, you can still try to reduce the amount you eat by setting some gentle diet goals over time or substituting certain foods.
Exercise
Regularly exercising is one of the best things you can do for your mind and body. Research has shown that moving your body improves your mood, and can contribute towards alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Exercise has also been shown to improve your self-esteem, and as a result boosts positive body image.
It's important to remember that we all start from somewhere, therefore there’s no need to feel ashamed if you’re not sure how to get started with a regular exercise routine. Instead, try to think of the next few months as an invitation to learn more about what exercise works for you. Whether online or in-person, this allows you to experiment with all kinds of workouts, so you can find something that works specifically for you.
One way to start regularly exercising is to take up a sport you enjoy, or join a club such as a walking group. The sport you choose depends entirely on what you might find interesting, so don’t feel pressured into playing a game that you don’t enjoy. Instead, search for local clubs, exercises classes and/or sports teams that are suitable for beginners. As an additional benefit, joining a group of people to exercise can foster a great sense of community and feeling of belonging.
Start re-imagining today
As the world starts to re-open, there are so many great opportunities to improve your mental and physical health.
Whether you join an exercise group, rethink your diet, or focus on getting a better night’s sleep, reimagining your self-care routine with just one small step to start with will help to combat the anxiety caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. You’ll notice that nurturing your sleep, diet and exercise as a regular routine over time will improve your mood, self-esteem and productivity levels - and you may even make new friends along the way.
Dan Matthews is a writer, content consultant, and conservationist. While Dan writes on a variety of topics, he loves to focus on the topics that look inward on the self to provide resources to find clarity and peace, which can help open the world to one and all - making the world a little bit of better place to reside. When Dan isn't working on new content, you can find him with a coffee cup in one hand and searching for new music in the other.