I think it’s safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has definitely put a massive change on many lives including my own. With online schooling, social isolation, and of course spending every waking moment with the same people, life can get tough and feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, and anxiety can arise. As a result, I have picked up a few methods which have kept me grounded throughout this experience.
The first habit I picked up on is the practice of daily meditation. There are many different methods: there’s guided meditation, mantra meditation, even yoga is considered a form of meditation!¹ For myself however I’ve been finding a quiet space, opening a window, and taking a seat on the floor or laying down on my bed. Afterwards, I just take breaths in and out whilst mentally repeating the words “in and out” to myself and pushing away any unwanted thoughts. The goal of this practice is to keep yourself pinned in the present moment in order to increase awareness, decrease stress, and anxiety². I found that since I started meditating, I’ve been sleeping better, feeling less hopeless, and enjoying the simple things such as fresh air, home cooked meals, and having a good laugh a lot more.
The second habit that I picked up is exercising daily. This used to entail running on the treadmill but because of the rise in temperature, I’ve been going on regular walks with members of my family. I have found that getting up everyday and doing a bit of physical activity has helped me to feel more fresh and put together in this hard time. Exercise has been found to improve mental health as well by reducing anxiety, depression, improving self esteem, cognitive function and limiting social withdrawal³. Overall, in a time where we’re all stuck laying around with nothing else to do, getting some movement and fresh air from time to time has definitely helped me keep a level head.
Another habit I’ve picked up on is healthy eating. It’s very easy, especially in times like this, to fall into patterns of eating junk food and laying around and wallowing in misery. I know I have definitely fallen into these patterns before. However, I found that eating three home cooked meals a day and snacking on fruit and vegetables has proven a massive benefit. This is because it’s been scientifically proven that healthy eating is linked to better mental health.⁴ In a study conducted in 2018, common Western diets were compared to traditional Japanese and Mediterranian diets. The main difference between the two are that the Mediterranian and the Japanese diets contain much more fruits, vegetables, grains, and seafood with only modest amounts of lean meats, dairy, and processed sugars which are common in Western diets. The conclusion was a 25-30% lower risk of depression in those who ate Mediteranian or Japanese diets.
Finally, I’ve found that activities as simple as getting up and getting dressed have been a massive gamechanger. Be honest, have you rolled out of bed and logged onto your online class while half asleep? Have you worn your pyjamas all day or locked yourself in your room and only left for food, water, and to use the restroom? I definitely have. It’s very easy to fall into these sorts of patterns being home everyday. Instead, I have gotten into the habit of getting up, getting changed, and using a different room for online school. Keeping myself groomed and separating my “school” and “after school” life has definitely helped to improve my mental health as well as help keep track of time. In our current circumstance where every single day just feels the same, it’s important to not forget that activities as simple as getting dressed, taking walks, and breathing in the fresh air can help improve even the worst situations.
Obviously, these methods aren’t a blueprint for healthy living during a stay at home order. These are just a few of the ways I’ve been practicing self care and keeping sane to the best of my ability. In the end, it’s important to stay strong and remember that no matter how bleak things are, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
SOURCES: 1. “A Beginner's Guide to Meditation,” Mayo Clinic (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, April 22, 2020), https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858. 2. Matthew Thorpe, “12 Benefits of Meditation,” Healthline (Healthline Media, October 27, 2020), https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation#1.-Reduces-stress. 3. Ashish Sharma, Vishal Madaan, and Frederick D Petty, “Exercise for Mental Health,” Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry (Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc., 2006), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/.
4. “The Emerging Link between Food and Mental Health,” CAMH, accessed June 20, 2021, https://www.camh.ca/en/camh-news-and-stories/the-emerging-link-between-food-and-mental-health.
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