Anxiety and depression may occur in individuals for various reasons. However, in this pandemic era, people seem to be too prone to suffering from its symptoms. We know that practicing proper social distancing is one good way to steer clear from corona virus. But, if you want yourself to be spared from anxiety and depression, distance yourself from the evils of social media. Instead of reading social media posts, it is much better to read articles like this one you are reading right now. You need access to quality content and not just unverified posts from social media. If you want to learn how to stave off anxiety and depression, read on.
Take time to exercise.
Exercise is crucial especially in this pandemic era where staying indoors is a must. Unfortunately, staying indoors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can also cause several health issues among us. It encourages sedentary lifestyle as you get to spend more time on electronic gadgets and watching your television set. This is why it is important that you opt for exercises that can be done indoors.Luckily, you can have hundreds or perhaps thousands of exercise videos on YouTube that you can actually do at home, in your bedroom, living room or in your very own porch. When you exercise, you allow your body to produce mood-boosting chemicals such as endorphins. Besides, when you exercise, you increase your body temperature and this can lead to a calming effect which is beneficial for your overall central nervous system.
Stick to a routine.
This COVID-19 pandemic has led many of us to become filled with anxiety as the threats that this virus brings has caused so much uncertainty. It brings uncertainty in our employment, relationships, finances and our overall health and well-being. The bad news is that human beings always rave for security and that feeling of certainty about so many aspects in our lives. This is why if you want to spare yourself from the adverse effects of anxiety and depression, create a daily routine. You have to take the time to sit down and plan your daily routine. This way, you can better plan for what things to prioritize the next day, next month or next year. The more you plan about what to do first, the less stressful your day becomes. This is because you need not worry about having important things that are overlooked. When you stick to this routine, you become better at dealing with almost any issue everyday. The result would be a better you at getting rid of the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Find time to do the things you love.
Having the time to do the things you love can largely help in keeping your sanity. When you love what you are doing, your entire being will be filled with positive emotions. This Is one great way to stave off those symptoms of depression and anxiety. Note that happiness is such a powerful emotion, too powerful that it can easily kick depression out of your system.
So, find time to do whatever you love. Grab your apron and start baking or cooking. Revisit your love for art by painting. Do whatever it is that you love and you will find yourself enjoying each moment of it. No stress, no anxiety, no depression – only pure happiness.
Reduce your time spent on social media.
Once this addiction sets in, an individual will start to feel depressed whenever he’s away from his smartphone or any mobile gadget that he used for visiting social media sites. Therefore, it is important that you watch out on how much time you spend on social media sites. Do it sparingly and only when you really need to. This is important if you want to stave off any signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Get enough sleep each night. Having enough sleep each night can do wonders in keeping your mental and physical health functioning optimally. Bodies of research have proven that lack of sleep can lead to anxiety disorder. Experts also reveal that sleep disruption is one common denominator among psychiatric disorders.
Many studies also show that people who have chronic insomnia face higher risk of developing anxiety disorder. If you want to steer clear from the cudgels of depression and anxiety, make sure you get enough of that sweet slumber every night. If a sound sleep is something that you find difficult doing, don’t worry. There are many natural ways to get a good sleep at night. One of these is to make sure that all your mobile gadgets are turned off at least an hour before bedtime. If your bedroom has a TV, turn it off. Do not drink caffeine and other stimulants in the afternoon or a few hours leading to bedtime. This is to make sure that your body will be prepared to cool down as your brain and body will no longer be stimulated. Always opt for a healthy diet.
If you have been eating lots of processed foods, now is the time to make that switch to healthy foods. Processed foods are loaded with artificial flavorings, chemical preservatives and other unhealthy ingredients. These things could wreak havoc to your mental and physical health. The chemicals present in these processed foods could affect your mood and if left unabated, this could jump-start the onset of anxiety and depression symptoms.
To ensure you stay healthy physically and mentally, always eat healthy foods. This would mean the inclusion of whole foods into your daily diet. As much as possible, cook your own food. Cooking your own meals will help you become more conscious about the ingredients that you mix into your recipe. Plus, it will also help yourself become accustomed to eating home-prepared meals as opposed to just relying on fast foods. Start filling your kitchen and your pantry with vegetables, fruits, lean meat and other whole foods.
