Some of us are having a harder time than others right now, but these tips to help manage the anxiety can certainly help to make things easier.
If you’re like most people in the world right now, you haven’t exactly been your best glowing self during quarantine. Let’s be honest, we’re not keeping our usual sleep patterns, we may or may not be sticking to our typical diets, home workouts aren’t the same as the gym, and rules for personal upkeep have nearly completely vanished.
Life has become a whirlwind of chaotic weirdness and for those who have already been struggling with anxiety, this time has been beyond difficult.
Here are a few tips we would like to share that could help lighten the load and ease some of the anxiety around the house.
Clean your space.
You haven’t had any guests around, and your home might be a little dirtier than normal without motivation to clean it up. One or two things lying around out of place quickly becomes 10 or 20 if we’re not careful. It might seem like a hassle, but cleaning up your living area has actually been proven to boost your mood.
According to a study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, women who described their homes as cluttered and full of unfinished projects were also depressed, tired and more stressed out than those who described their homes as restorative and restful. On top of that, a clean room helps you sleep better. And getting enough rest is crucial to your happiness.
Make a little bit of an effort.
If you’re like me, you’ve been living in pajamas, enjoying the freedom of no pants, and generally displeasing the fashion gods. However, as fun as it is, it can lead to a pattern that is hard to get out of if we don’t make an effort once in a while. So, put on a nice outfit, do your hair, make yourself look simply smashing dah-ling. You might remember how badass you really are when you look in the mirror.
Get as much sunlight as you can.
While you might not be allowed to go outside to the beach or the park in some places, you can still get some much needed vitamin D. Our bodies need it. Vitamin D becomes converted by the liver and kidney into a hormone (“secosteroid”) that’s so important to brain function its receptors can be found throughout the brain. Vitamin D plays a critical role in the brain’s early development, its ongoing maintenance, and in its functions that underlie healthy mood and many of the most basic cognitive functions including learning and making memories.
Set little goals for yourself throughout the day.
Don’t set yourself up for failure by putting all this pressure on yourself to achieve greatness during this time. But having tangible things to cross off a to-do list is empowering. Depending on where you’re at mood-wise, your list can be as simple as writing down things you have to do to take care of yourself/get through the day like “brush teeth” “shower” “make lunch.” The more you’re up for it, the bigger your goals. Just being able to say you set intentions and complete them can be a morale booster.