Hello Positivity’s guide to Self Care

Its safe to say that the outbreak of COVID-19 means it is a very scary time right now and it doesn’t look to be getting much better any time soon.

With all the uncertainty and fear its natural that people’s anxiety levels are increasing and with more and more people having to self-isolate, it can also be pretty boring which can lead to feelings of frustration. It is important to practise self care and do things that will keep your mental health in a good place. Read on for Hello Positivity’s guide to Self Care and discover ways that you can look after your mental health throughout this period.

Take a 30 minute walk each day: walking is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise for good mental health, Walking for Health explains how walking helps your mood and the quality of your sleep, it reduces feelings of anxiety, stress and fatigue. They have found that regular physical activity reduces the risk of depression by 30%, and also helps those who are depressed with their recovery. Mind.org also describes how these effects can be further boosted by spending time in nature. Obviously when outside keep your distance from others at the current time!

Have a meaningful conversation: connecting with others has many benefits for your mental health. Thanks to technology we are able to connect with our loved ones without physically being together, e.g. via facetime and Skype. In her blog The Health Benefits of Socializing for Psychology Today, Angela K. Troyer Ph.D explains how connecting with others helps cognitive function and increases feelings of wellbeing. If possible minimize the amount of time you spend talking about COVID-19 to avoid feeding each other’s anxiety.

Get involved in an activity: doing something you enjoy boosts serotonin levels – the ‘happy hormone’. Start reading those books you haven’t had time for, use YouTube or one of the many apps available to do some yoga and/or take an exercise class. Or use this down time to try something new like learning a new skill or a new language.

Keep social media to a minimum and avoid endlessly watching the news: While it is good to be kept informed and social media is a great way to connect with others, if you are finding your anxiety levels starting to rise with the constant stream of stories it might be time to have a break and limit your daily exposure, as advised by the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in his St Partrick days speech which can be found here. Along with his advice about only listening to trusted sources

Do something relaxing: in these uncertain times it is natural that our anxiety levels may be higher, taking time to focus on relaxing can reduce these anxieties. For example, take a bath or read a book. Do some restorative yoga or mindfulness – there are many great apps nowadays to help. You can download my deep relaxation audio here.

I hope you have found this article of benefit, you can read more of my blogs here.

Stay Safe everyone x