Being in lockdown during this coronavirus pandemic can be tough for your mental health. In fact, according to the โOffice of National Statistics (ONS) 47 per cent of people had reported โhigh levelsโ of anxiety and over four in five of people surveyed โ 84 per cent โ said they were worried about the effect the virus is having on their life, while 53 per cent said it was affecting their well-being.โ Taking care of yourself should be on top of your to-do list to avoid the coronavirus pandemic lockdown impacting your wellbeing.
So what can you do, at home, to practice self care and improve your mental health?ย
Keep a healthy routine
For most of us, staying at home means being comfy in our pajamas with our hair up without wearing any makeup and indulging in various treats and of course, for a short period of time, that is fine. However, at the moment, it can be easy to fall into a bad habit of not moving, overeating or eating an unbalanced diet, and forgetting to take care of our bodies altogether for a long time.ย
Taking care of yourself during the coronavirus pandemic doesnโt have to be difficult, putting on a bit of lipstick and some mascara before your next zoom meeting can make all the difference to your self-worth. You could also treat yourself to a spa day at home, having a long warm bath with bubbles, putting on a face mask and then doing your own acrylic nails could do wonders to your overall mood.ย
Reconnect with nature
Spending time outside in a green space has been proven to dramatically increase your mental and physical wellbeing. Gardening, walking your dog, birdwatching, exercising outdoors; there are many things you can do outside without breaking the rules of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. Being outside in natural light can also be helpful especially if you are suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).ย
Ecotherapy, a type of treatment which involves doing activities outside in nature, has been growing in popularity in recent years. Keep in mind that you may not be able to start doing that right now because of the restrictions but you can definitely start spending more time outside.
Keep in touch with others
You may not be able to meet your friends and family right now because of the coronavirus pandemic but keeping in touch with them via video calls or text messages could really help. Talking through your problems but also assisting with theirs could give you a sense of belonging and companionship. It is also important to remember that this situation is only temporary and that we will eventually be reunited with our loved ones once the Covid-19 pandemic is contained.ย
