10 Ways to Cope with the Stress of COVID-19

By Dr. Annie DePasquale, ​Family Doc Annie - Weight Loss Coaching

Our lives have been turned upside down.  We have been ordered to stay home.  Our daily routines have been completely altered.  Many of us are trying to work from home.  Others are trying to educate their children at home.  And still others are looking for new jobs that they can do from home. 
 
To call this time stressful would be an understatement.  We fear for so many things - from how to safely get groceries to how to keep our payroll going because of slowed business.  How are we to deal with all of these worries?

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As a Family Medicine physician, I have a lot of experience helping patients with stress and anxiety.  Here is a list of ten ways to help cope with the stress of COVID-19.  
 

1. Stay active.  Exercise daily - even if for just 20 minutes.  Walk or bike around your neighborhood over your lunch break.  Run up & down your stairs or do sit-ups in-between work calls.  Keeping your heart pumping hugely helps both your physical and mental health.
2. Read for pleasure.  Borrow an ebook from the library.  Enjoy some good escapism.  With extra time on your hands, you finally have a chance to catch-up on all those books you’ve been wanting to read.
3. Listen to music.  Have some relaxing music playing in the background to put yourself in a more relaxed mindset.  You can’t go wrong with tuning into a classical or jazz station.
4. Eat healthy snacks.  To avoid putting on weight during our time of hibernation, fill up on healthy snacks, like cherry tomatoes mixed with cottage cheese, peanut butter on celery, carrots dipped in hummus, and brie cheese spread on apple slices.
5. Learn how to meditate.  There are some great apps on the phone that can teach you how to meditate.  Finding a few moments of zen in the morning can carry through your whole day.
6. Stay connected. Schedule times to FaceTime or Skype with friends and family.  Since everyone is in a similar predicament, you should be able to easily coordinate schedules to reconnect with your contacts from across the globe.
7. Get crafting.  Enjoy your extra downtime by painting, sculpting, crocheting, or needlepointing.  If you don’t feel skilled as an artist, coloring books, fingerpaints, and Playdoh can be great options - even for adults.  There’s a kid inside all of us!
8. Limit time spent watching TV & tuning into social media.  Knowledge is power, but focusing too much on what’s happening with the pandemic can easily worsen your fears.  Stay in-the-know, but don’t go overboard on watching the news 24/7. 
9. Give yoga a try.  There are millions of Youtube videos that can show you how to master some simple yoga poses.  This practice can lower your stress in a matter of minutes.
10.  Pamper yourself.  Take time to treat yourself well.  Whether that’s taking a bath or binge watching a great series on Netflix, be sure to set aside at least an hour to unwind each and every day.

 
Taking good care of our mental health is critical during this time.  Make sure to take care of yourself and those around you.  If you or someone you know is particularly struggling with their mental health during this difficult time, please reach out to a healthcare provider via telemedicine.  We are all in this together.