Stress is one of the twenty first century’s growing mental health problems. With the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, more people than ever are being confronted by anxieties, worries, and intrusive thoughts. These heightened states of emotion can make us stressed. This feeling of pressure and anxiety can manifest in many different ways. Some people become isolated, reclusive, and seek solace in doing nothing. Others don’t recognize their stress and throw themselves into ever more stressful pursuits. Finding a balance during unprecedented times can feel impossible.
If you can feel the symptoms of stress encroaching on your life, think about how you can combat this. The easiest way is to try and create a relaxation bubble that encloses you in activities and situations that you find calming. With a new normal being thrust upon us, it can be challenging to discover new and relaxing ventures, so go with what you know. Take a look at these soothing things you can do to create your relaxation bubble.
Sleep
There’s nothing more relaxing than getting some shut-eye. However, many of us have found the rolling news detailing statistics and future concerns about the coronavirus pandemic acutely worrying. This means that our minds are whirring as we hit the sack and we find it difficult to get to sleep. Vivid dreams and broken sleep can impact on the quality of our snoozes. It’s time to hone a more relaxing sleep routine before bed.
If you are an avid social media scholar and you love nothing more than opening up the news alerts on your smartphone whenever you hear a ping, it’s time to stop. You need to put your phone down and any other screen at least two hours before bed. The fake news that is present on our Facebook feeds and Twitter pages can make its way into our psyche and heightened levels of stress can manifest. To combat this, it makes sense to have a social media detox. This isn’t to say you can’t go on your Instagram page throughout the day, but in the evenings, you should put the phone down. This allows you to switch off from the stats and bad news stories.
Rather than embrace social media, pick up the phone, and have a chat with a pal. Talk about something other than the pandemic. Run yourself a hot bath and have a long soak in the tub with some scented candles and a good book. It’s vital that you are more relaxed when your head hits the pillow. This will improve the quality of your sleep and leave you feeling less stressed.
Get Outside
If you aren’t a big advocate of the great outdoors, but you are tired of being cooped up at home because of a lockdown, make use of the outside space around you. This might just mean sitting out in your garden and listening to the birds. Being outside allows you to soak up the natural rays from the sun. Natural light allows you to absorb more Vitamin D leaving you feeling more alert. Your circadian rhythm will also be knocked back into place as your happy hormone, dopamine, is released.
If you fancy going further afield, why not partake in a spot of exercise outdoors. While you may have been a gym bunny, plenty of trainers are now taking their socially distanced workout classes to the parks. Sign up and you can be enjoying a boxercise or Zumba class two meters away from everyone else in the park while enjoying the sunshine. For many people, exercise releases endorphins which can leave us feeling more fulfilled and content.
Learn Something New
Having more time on your hands because you are working from home can result in feelings of boredom. When you are bored, you may choose to head online and procrastinate. Rather than doing this, consider learning something new to occupy your time and give you a challenge. Many people look to numerology and learn the meaning behind this universal order of things. It’s interesting and can leave you with a different understanding of those around you.
Alternatively, you might prefer to learn a skill. Consider playing a new instrument such as the guitar or the violin. There are plenty of online tutorials for beginners and with the advent of Skype, you can still enjoy a one on one class albeit virtually. Perhaps you aren’t musical and would prefer to learn Japanese, learn the art of cooking a decent curry, or you want to take a new qualification to enhance your resume. Whatever it is you want to channel your energies into, go for it. Looking forward to something can help banish the feelings of stress caused by an overbearing boss or financial concerns.
Talk
While we may not be physically close to our nearest and dearest, we can utilize the power of Skype, Zoom, and Teams to speak to our friends and family over the Internet. Virtual quizzes and get-togethers are quickly becoming the new norm. Feelings of isolation can quickly set in when in lockdown. We all know that the rules regarding social distancing are to lower the infection rate number of the virus and to save lives. However, this doesn’t make it any easier.
Talking to your loved ones is crucial. Staying connected and communicating is a vital part of human nature. We are social beings and without the interaction with our support network, we can quickly become stressed and suffer from anxiety. Keep in touch with your pals via Whatsapp and arrange weekly catch-ups online. This way, you won’t ever have to feel like you are on your own.
Relaxing during a global crisis can seem like an oxymoron. We can feel anxious, desperate, and worried about what the future may bring. Health is a major concern but so is the economic climate, our jobs, and our relationships. However, by following this guide, you can find your relaxation bubble to help you through this pandemic, banishing those feelings of stress forever.
