Tips for Thriving Through Pandemic

There are many factors that contribute to handling the pandemic the best that you can. Focus on your own well-being and don’t compare yourself to others.

Self-Care

You will fare better when you take care of your emotional and physical needs. In general, this means obtaining adequate sleep, exercising, eating well, drinking enough water, and eliminating or minimizing alcohol consumption.

Sleep

Adequate sleep is crucial for functioning. It has a direct impact on physical health and emotional well-being. Lack of quality sleep, including Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep contributes to anxiety. Sleep is important for repair of the brain and body, and has an impact on concentration, frustration tolerance, and emotional regulation. These all play a role in one’s ability to cope with daily living. Many people are struggling with getting quality sleep. This is worthy of addressing, as adequate sleep is crucial for optimal functioning. Click here for an article with 20 ways to help you get better sleep.

Coping with Anxiety

The pandemic is taking a toll on the nervous system. We are designed to respond to perceived threats in order to keep ourselves safe. The problem with the pandemic is that it is pervasive, constant, and continuous. This is resulting in the body being in a heightened state of activating the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol. The good news is that we can counteract that by employing the parasympathetic nervous system by engaging in activities that induce the relaxation response. These activities include deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and spending time in nature. In addition, people who know how to use cognitive strategies to help prevent “worry thoughts” from spiraling out of control are also faring better. These include methods such as gratitude thinking, visualization, thought replacement, and self-talk. People who are engaging in these relaxation and cognitive activities on a regular basis are faring better. This includes prevention (doing the activities when they feel calm), as well as in the moment when anxiety levels increase.

Maintain Connections

As human beings, we are hard-wired to be social. The best way to feed this need is in-person contact. People who are able to be creative and safely maintain contact with others in person are faring better. When that is not possible, people who are making a conscious effort to maintain connections with others are faring better. This includes activities such as regularly scheduled family Zoom meetings, going through your text messages and reaching out to people at the bottom of the list, and talking to strangers such as the checkout clerk at the grocery store. Also, whenever in a situation of choosing a machine or a person for a task, choose people. We need human interaction now more than ever, and people who are finding creative ways to make up for our typical ways of getting it are faring better.

Allow Yourself to Feel Painful and Unwanted Emotions

These are tough times. There is so much loss. Loss of contact with friends, family, coworkers, and even strangers. Loss of celebrations and traditions. Loss of milestones. Loss of jobs. Loss of income. Loss of life. Unfortunately, many people do not allow themselves to feel and process their painful emotions. This has a negative impact on physical and emotional well-being. It may sound counterintuitive, but it is the people who allow themselves to grieve, feel, and process emotional pain are the ones who fare better.

Ask for Help

We simply cannot get through this alone. In addition, whatever problem or issue someone was dealing with before the pandemic has been exacerbated. People are being taxed to their limits. Those who recognize those limits and have the courage to ask for help are faring better. This possibly includes speaking to a job supervisor about their needs, talking with family and friends about emotions, finding childcare, and seeking professional therapeutic help.

Maintain a Positive Attitude

Our thoughts have a direct impact on our feelings. People who are able to maintain positive thoughts and a positive attitude are those who are coping better. Everyone has negative thoughts. People who have awareness of these thoughts, as well as the impact on how they feel, are better able to address them. One method is to flip them. This involves awareness of a negative thought, and flipping it to something positive. Another great powerful method is gratitude. Thinking about one small thing that one is grateful for can help negative thinking from spiraling out of control. This works like a muscle. The more one practices gratitude, the stronger the neural pathways in the brain become, making the person a more positive thinker. We create our realities based on our thoughts and beliefs, so it is crucial to keep them positive. Gratitude is one method that works, even on a difficult day. Especially on a difficult day.