Isolation and Anxiety
Isolation and Anxiety due to Covid-19
In the current socioeconomic and political environment, many are feeling isolated, fatigued, sad, and hopeless. There is a level of anxiousness felt by all, whether or not we personally have been afected by the pandemic and world affairs. Each of us is connected to humanity so every indivicual is suffering some level of anxiety or sadness during these times.
The symptoms can be insidious such as lack of stamina and trouble sleeping, to having a panic attack. It’s important that we take care of ourselves more than ever for both mental and physical reasons as they are tightly wound together. Mental stress decreases immune system function, interrupts sleep, and increases stress hormones. Furthermore, we tend to eat poorly when stressed which decreases overall health and increases risk for the development of chronic disease.
Tips for reducing Anxiety
Get out of the Head and into your Body
Call it being in the present moment, meditation, yoga or just a breath. Pause and observe for a minute here and there throughout the day. Set the timer on your phone to remind you. Once an hour will significantly change how you react to stress.
Do Not watch the News
Choose your inputs carefully. The current media instills fear, paranoia and the sense of isolation Since watching it does nothing to help mankind, there is really no reason to watch it. There are many other choices for entertainment that will uplift you and bring you peace and maybe some humor. If you want to stay updated on the numbers, go to the AZDHS website dashboard for the latest numbers. This way you can follow the numbers from an accurate source without the emotional dramatization.
Sleep
With the nervous system receiving more excitatory waves and stimulation than usual, more sleep is needed. This gives the brain the necessary recovery time to heal the minor inflammatory changes as a result of stress. If the brain does not get sufficient time to do this, inflammation and damage could progress over time into a disease process. Sleep is also needed to reboot the immune system which is under daily assault from stress and diet.
Eat to Energize
It’s tempting to reach for sugar and fried foods when feeling lonely, tired and anxious. However, these foods cause a downward spiral into more fatigue, insomnia and lower moods. Eat for the purpose of nourishing the body and mind rather than for comfort. High vibration foods, such as colorful fruits and vegetables raise the vibration of body cells. You can feel this after just one day of eating this way. When your digestion consumes less energy, you experience deeper sleep and awake feeling refreshed and energized. Increased physical stamina lifts the mental state of mind. These same foods nourish the immune system to keep it strong.
Read an Uplifting Book
Whether it be a spiritual, religious or just a loving story we can draw upon the written word to give us hope, peache and loving companionship. Books can serve as a healthy escape into another realm to give us a much needed break while stimulating the mind.
Exercise to Release Tension
This seems impossible if you live in Phoenix right now with the heat and the closed byms. However, thans to technology trainers have offered some online movement classes. There are also some private studios which are still open where you can work out by appointment. This can be costly, so working out at may be be the only option. Just 30 minutes a day of any movement at all, even dancing will facilitate the flushing of toxins and work off the nervous energy being stored in the cells.
To schedule a visit, call 480-535-7868 or go to Request Appointment