Taking care of your mind as well as your body is really important if you are staying at home at the moment due to Covid. You may feel worried and even anxious about your finances, your health or those close to you. Perhaps you might even feel frustrated and lonely if you’ve been stuck in for so long.
It’s important to remember that it is totally okay to feel this way and that everyone reacts differently to the stuff happening around us. And remember, for most of us, those feelings will pass. Staying at home may be difficult, but you’re helping to protect yourself and others by doing it so it’s important to keep at it as long as possible.
There are things you can do now though, to help you keep on top of your mental well being and cope with how you are feeling if you’re staying at home.
Stay connected to others
Maintaining healthy relationships with people you trust is important for your mental well being. But I know this can be hard at the moment, especially if you’re used to popping around to your friend’s house for a cuppa. But you can think about ways to stay in touch with friends and family whilst being at home. By phone, messaging, video calls or even on social media.
Talk about your worries
It’s normal to feel a bit worried, scared or helpless about the current situation. But please remember that it is okay to share your concerns with others you trust, and doing so may help them too as you never know what they might also be going through. Get to chatting with friends and family, or that person you trust, so that you are not only staying connected but also getting your feelings out there. If you cannot speak to someone you know or if doing so has not helped, there are plenty of helplines you can try instead.
Look after your body
Our physical health has a big impact on how we feel and at times like these, it can be easy to fall into an unhealthy pattern of behaviour that ends up making you feel worse. We all know that it’s easy to sit at home, watch tv, and eat ourselves silly, but it’s important to take care of yourself too.
Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and exercise regularly, even if that’s just a walk around the block. If you are staying at home though, you could try exercising indoors, as there are lots of free online classes, and even YouTube videos to try an easy 10 minute home workout.
Carry on doing the things you enjoy
If we are feeling worried and low we may stop doing things we usually enjoy but actually, then is the best time to continue doing what we love. So, make an effort to focus on your favourite hobby if it is something you can still do at home.
If not, then start a new hobby: read, write, do crosswords or jigsaws, bake, or try drawing and painting. Whatever it is, find something that works for you and can be done easily at home. You can even find groups on social media that will be full of people who have the same hobby as you and can help with social interaction too.
Take time to relax
This can help with difficult emotions and worries, and improve our well being. Relaxation techniques can also help deal with feelings of anxiety. This can be anything really. Meditation, breathing exercises, or even just laying on the sofa for 10 minutes and not thinking about anything else. You may also wish to try a natural CBD supplement to help you manage your mental health – now that CBD is legal in the UK, it’s unlikely that CBD UK laws 2028 will look that different from the current laws that are in place, but it’s always worth keeping up to date with these laws, should they change and have an impact on how you take your CBD.
Do not stay glued to the news
This is probably the most important, in my opinion. Try to limit the time you spend watching, reading or listening to the news. You could set yourself a specific time to read updates or limit yourself to checking a couple of times a day. Or just don’t even watch it at all.
And remember, if you do check the news, use trustworthy sources such as GOV.UK or the NHS website – and fact-check information from the news, social media or other people.