What do you do when life is not going the way you want it to? When we are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed, what can we do to help ourselves feel better and get back on track?
In this blog post, I will be discussing how you can keep your psyche in check after Covid. This includes things like getting enough sleep and exercise, as well as eating a balanced diet.
Recognize the warning signs of depression
There is a number of different warning signs of depression, including the feeling that you are worthless or guilty all day. You might also have trouble thinking about anything outside your own experience and show a lack of interest in normal activities. Alternatively, people who feel persistently sad may lose weight without trying, not sleep well or talk less than usual.
Finally, there is another sign to look out for—significant changes in appetite or energy levels. This could be an indication of something more serious like bipolar disorder.
As soon as you start spotting these warning signs, it is important to seek help from mental health specialists.
Spend time with other people
While it’s pretty hard to meet new people with the restrictions still in place in some countries, there are some great ways of doing just that. For instance, going for a visit to a hair or a nail salon could be a nice method of unwinding the stress by simply talking to the professionals taking care of you. With apps like Booksy, scheduling a visit has never been easier. Beauty and health professionals are more than keen on talking because they’ve spent some time with their businesses closed as well.
Make time for yourself every day, even if it’s just 10 minutes
We all have a “me” time, and it’s important to make the most of that. But when you are struggling with mental health issues after covid, this can seem difficult. For instance, if you’re feeling depressed or anxious among other things, there is no better way than taking some time for yourself to do something fun like reading a good book in bed before drifting off to sleep.
Make sure your diet is healthy
Maintaining an eating plan that will help keep depression at bay should be one of your main priorities as well as exercise on occasion (for example running). Regular physical activity releases endorphins which not only improve mood but also help relieve anxiety symptoms such as sweating and heart palpitations due to high blood pressure.
Get a hobby that you enjoy and will give your life meaning
This may seem cheesy, but it’s true. What activities have you always wanted to try? Get out there and make those dreams come true.
Whether it’s a musical instrument, sport, side hustle, or volunteer work, getting involved in a new activity will help keep your depression symptoms at bay
Meditate on the things that make you happy
If you find yourself feeling blue and can’t pinpoint why, try meditating for five minutes. This simple routine takes some of our focus off our problems while reminding us about all we have to be grateful for – which actually helps reduce stress levels.
Reduce your amount of time spent watching social media
Social Media is an endless pit when it comes down to mental health. It’s easy to spend hours scrolling through posts from friends or celebrities without even realizing how much time has passed. You may enjoy this pastime but if you’re prone to anxiety then spending too much time on social media might not be good for you. Such posts often display the seemingly perfect life of people behind them, and this can depress you even more.
Do something nice for someone else once a week, whether it is volunteering or giving an encouraging word to someone who needs it
If we’re lucky enough to have a healthy life, then there is no excuse not to try and help others. Volunteering or randomly giving someone an encouraging word might be the thing you need too in order to feel better about yourself. To help yourself with that, make arrangements and keep them. It’s tough to just go out there and help people out of the blue. Instead, this should be a recurring point in your week’s schedule.
Of course, things might not always go as planned when doing good deeds. Sometimes, people will reject our help just because their pride got in the way- this doesn’t mean your efforts didn’t matter though. You should still take comfort knowing that you’ve done your best.
Learn what triggers your negative emotions and try to avoid them in the future
If you’re feeling like your mental health is suffering, try to figure out why. Is it because of an argument with a friend or family member? Were they unable to do something that was important for them? Was there something in the news making you anxious? Figure out what’s triggering those negative emotions and find ways to avoid them next time so that more bad experiences don’t pile on top of each other.
Take care of your physical health by exercising regularly
Exercise is a godsend. Whether it’s something that you’re already doing or not, make sure to include some kind of physical activity in your life. It can help with anxiety and depression because endorphins are released when you exercise!
