THESE ARE STRESSFUL TIMES
Life during the COVID-19 pandemic
These are stressful times! The kids are all home and schooling from home in an online format. Most likely one or more parents is home under the quarantine mandate and not working. But the bills keep coming in. We are restricted from leaving our homes unless absolutely necessary. We have elderly parents we cannot visit who are now isolated and on their own and we worry about their welfare.
Financial strain, sudden home-schooling, couped up together in the house with no idea when this might end. Spring travel plans are on hold. And what about summer!? Summer normally spent as lazy days by the pool with the smell of sunscreen and burgers and the sounds of laughing and camaraderie may instead be spent carting kids to school. This decision rests in the hands of the school board and governance but leaves you reeling. Worse yet you may even be wondering if you will have enough toilette paper by the end of the day!
COVID-19 has been a scary and stressful event in our world’s and our nation’s history. It’s all you hear about on the radio and TV. Stress effects our health and in a time when we need to be boosting our immune systems, being stressed out is not ideal! So what can we do!??
Here are my top 5 tips on stress control
UnPlug!
1.) Turn off the TV, Radio, social media–take a break from screens and devices. Taking time to be quiet is important for not only our stress levels but also for our brain. Our brains are not meant to be “on” all day taking in information. They are meant to take long periods of rest and quiet. I am not saying to be ignorant of what is happening, but choose an hour or less a day to use as your time to catch up on news and then shut everything off.
Choose Gratitude!
2.) Gratitude Journal–take time every evening to write in a gratitude journal what you are grateful for that day. On the tougher days, you will have to dig deep, but there is always something to be grateful for. Living in a mindet of gratitude rather than stress and worry will make all the difference in your health and mental wellbeing. It will help you find joy in the chaos.
Get Good Sleep
3.) Sleep-Getting high quality sleep is as important as getting enough sleep. You can help your body do this by avoiding screens, devices, and bright lights for 2 hours before bed.
Your last meal should be at least 2-3 hours before bed. Nighttime is your body’s time to detoxifying and recover which cannot occur if the body is too busy digesting and metabolizing food.
Having good sleep hygiene is super important. What does this mean? It means following natural circadian rhythms and creating a regular routine. Accordingly, you should awake and get up with the sunrise and wind down and head to bed an hour or two after sunset. You should have a regular before-bed routine that signals your body it is time to wind down for sleep. For instance, this routine could be washing your face, brushing your teeth, using an essential oil like Lavender or Cedarwood in your face cream, and writing in your gratitude journal in low light before lights out. It doesn’t matter what the routine, it just needs to work for you. Have fun with it and get creative. In the end, doing the same thing nightly will help signal your body to become sleepy.
Get Moving!
4.) Exercise-Moving your body is a natural response to the fight or flight response and is a great way to deal with anxiety. It has the added benefits of improved sleep, improved circulation and cardiovascular health, increased energy, and improved mood through natural endorphin release.
Go Back To Nature
5.) Get outside!-Get out in the fresh air and sunlight. Kick off your shoes and get your feet onto the earth! There are numerous benefits of sunlight, grounding, and fresh air documented in scientific literature. Try it and see how amazing you feel!
What Do I Do If These Top 5 Tips Are Not Enough?
Call Me!
It may be time to find out if something else is contributing to your difficult emotions. Let’s address the root cause of your symptoms together. For instance, utilizing natural interventions such as plant-based therapies, breath work, and emotional reset can be very powerful. Additionally, there are many plant based products that can help gently improve your mood and decrease anxiety levels.
At the top of my list of plant-based interventions is CBD from Hemp. Essential oils are another path many choose to try. There are also herbal teas and homeopathy supplements and many other options that can help. However, every person is different and what they respond to is different. This is often related to the root cause of their symptoms. Consequently, if you have tried all of the above methods, and you are still struggling, reach out to schedule a consult with me. I welcome the opportunity to create a personalized plan for you to improve your life!
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