In this moment in history, we (humanity) are being challenged in new ways. Some of us are dealing with grief after having lost a loved one, others with fear for ourselves and those most vulnerable to the pandemic. We are managing a tremendous amount of stress about health, finances, work, education and uncertainty of all sorts. For some of us, this is happening while having our usual healthy coping mechanisms out of arm’s reach.

Through these challenges, social isolation and limited social contact are felt deeply as we, as a species, have evolved in groups and have used social support to get through most challenges. Our minds need company, our bodies need contact and, yet, for love ourselves and love of others, we do our best to maintain social distancing and meet those needs with people in our household, though limited contact or via video.

Stressors, changes in daily structure and constrains in healthy coping resources may lead people to use negative coping mechanisms (e.g. overeating, oversleeping, watching too much TV, using substances) that seem to help at the time but increase pain and suffering longterm. Stressors, loneliness and negative coping may also be the catalyst or increase previously existing depression, anxiety and grief.

This moment in time is also an important in that you can work to take additional steps to improve and support your mental health. Here are some suggestions that have shown to have positive effects on people’s wellbeing:

• Have a predictable sleep schedule that includes the same wake up time everyday. Going to bed at the same time is also important but keep the same wake up time even when you go to bed late.
• Used the bed only for sleeping. Watching TV in bed, reading or working in bed may interfere with you ability to fall asleep at night. It’s important that your mind maintains an association between your bed and sleep. Other activities weaken this association.
• Have a bed time routine (e.g. drink camomile tea, clean your face, change clothes or have a hot shower). A bedtime routine tells your body to start getting ready for sleep (remember that it takes your mind some time to learn these sleep associations. Be consistent).
  • Screens are counterproductive and should not be part of your bedtime routine
• Engage in physical exercise for at least 30 minutes per day (you may want to check with your medical provider about the physical activity that is right for you).
• Spend time outdoors while following CDC guidelines (e.g. When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick and limit close contact with others; Practice good hand hygiene; Don’t touch your face).
• Eat a healthy diet at predictable times
• Practice relaxation exercises
  • Deep breathing
  • Progressive muscle relaxation
  • Meditation
  • Guided imagery
  • Yoga
• Practice gratitude. Make an effort to identify two or three things every day that you feel grateful for. These do not need to be important events or expensive objects. Instead, focus on small occurrences. What people feel gratitude for varies. Sometimes people are grateful for elements of nature (e.g. a sunny day, a rainy day), small comforts (e.g. coffee), interpersonal events (e.g. an intimate conversation, a smile), or physical activities (e.g. walking, yoga).
  • Keep a gratitude journal
• Treat yourself with love and kindness. The last, but most important, suggestion is to practice self-compassion. This may be difficult to achieve, but it is a habit worth practicing. Start each day with a conscious, overt intention, to treat yourself with kindness is a good first step. Self-compassion can make a big difference in people’s lives.
  • Read a book by Brene Brown or Kristin Neff to learn more about this important skills.
• Think about your values and what brings meaning into your life and engage in activities that are aligned with your values every day. For example,
  • if you value family have the intention to treat people in your family with kindness and spend quality time with them in person or over video/phone.
  • If you value your health, consider eating healthy and stretching
  • If you value helping others, consider how to do this with the resources you have. Keep in mind that resources means more than financial support. Time and energy are also resources.
• Start fresh everyday. Work on your sleep schedule, your diet, exercise and self-compassion today and then, do the same tomorrow. Work on improving your routine every day and go easy on yourself when you fall short.
• Talk with a healthcare provider