Life can be busy and stressful at the best of times – but throw the chaos of the pandemic into the mix and George Floyd protests even the most level-headed people are bound to feel periods of anger, shock, and sadness. The out-of-control feel is never the nicest of sensations. One of the best things you can do right now is to get your mind in the right place, focus on staying calm and thinking about what IS in your control. Here’s why finding that calm time for yourself is crucial (especially at the moment), and what you can do to achieve it.
Keep tabs on your mental health
Mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, are often exacerbated or start up in the first place during times of stress. And a virus that has spread across the globe is definitely enough to get anyone feeling stressed.
If you feel that you’re not coping well, be sure to call your GP. A video chat or a phone appointment could get to the bottom of your issue and ensure that you’re being put on the right treatment. Don’t just leave things to spiral as you’re likely to just get worse.
Looking to find out more? Read 3 simple mental wellbeing tips today.
Find calm time doing hobbies
Hobbies are incredibly valuable in day-to-day life, of course, but at times like now, they can be more useful than ever when you need some calm time. Especially after watching the news.
Hobbies can bring you a sense of peace. They can also help you connect with like-minded people online. They can also be ways to build skills and keep you productive while in home isolation.
If you’ve been furloughed from work, it can be difficult to know what to do with your time. Hobbies can break it up and give you things to do. Not to mention that certain hobbies are great for relaxation, whether that be learning how to fish, learning how to bake, craft, or anything that allows you to sit and enjoy the task.
Maintain normal sleep
When you’re not in your normal work routine, and also are worrying about the state of the world right now, it’s easy for your sleep to understand why your sleep has been disrupted. Staying up late and getting up late can easily become the norm. In extreme cases, you might find yourself sitting up all night and sleeping well into the day.
That new routine can have quite an effect on your mental health. It can leave your days feeling wasted and meaningless and affects your normal hormone and sleep cycles. As a result, you might feel anxious, crying for seemingly no reason, and it can make a difficult situation feel even worse.
If you can, stick to your normal bedtime and get up when you usually would do so. Before bed, long baths, meditation, and time to read a book can help to get you into that sleepy state.
Finally, creating a healthy home environment that relaxes you will go far toward improving your overall sleep quality. Find a routine that works for you and won’t involve losing sleep that can help you maintain your energy and avoid getting sick.