PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
My Top 9 Tips To Relieve Covid Anxiety
Protect yourself and the people you care about
Stress is a fact of life, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. You cannot avoid stress, but you can learn to manage it.
I suffered from stress myself with all the changes COVID-19 induced in my life. Before it all started, I had just graduated and got a job in a new country. After a month of work and induction, the virus had spread, life changed.
I wasn’t thoroughly trained and had responsibilities for the job I had to do, yet I had to work from home. I struggled to find where the documents were stored and didn’t want to send too many messages to ask all the questions I had in mind. I was afraid of being seen as incapable or too young for this role.
The COVID-19 pandemic has added an additional source of stress for everybody. Faced with new realities, unemployment, home-schooling of children, many are experiencing a dangerous level of stress that could lead to burnout or depression.
The way you deal with these emotions and stress can affect your well-being, the well-being of the people you care about.
Here are my nine favourite things to do when I feel stressed. It helps me almost instantly to release the pressure.
Let’s dive into it!
Deep breathing
Deep breathing (especially abdominal breathing) promotes relaxation by providing oxygen, lowering heart rate (which tends to get overwhelmed when stressed) and blood pressure.
The belly breathing technique was totally new to me; I didn’t believe that would work until I tried it. I never stopped doing it since; it really helped me taking control back.
Belly breathing
Belly breathing is easy to do and very relaxing. Try this essential exercise anytime you need to relax or relieve stress.
- Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position.
- Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
- Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
- Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
- Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath.
- Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.
Visualization exercise
Visualization (mental imagery) can “trick” the brain into a relaxing response for the body. It is also an excellent way to condition oneself to face a stressful situation in the future. This technique is wildly used in high-level sport.
Exercise 1: White Sandy Beach
This is my new way of travelling now; I prefer to think about the beach, mainly because I couldn’t enjoy the summer last year.
Imagine that you are lying on a white sandy beach and feel safe, calm, and relaxed as you think about the following:
- Turquoise water and a clear blue sky
- The sound of soft waves as the tide gently rolls in
- The weight of your body sinking into the sand
- The warmth of the sand under your feet
- A large umbrella keeping you slightly shaded, creating the perfect temperature (you can remove that part if you’re a sunbathing person)
Relax your face and let go of any tension in your forehead, between your eyebrows, your neck, and your throat. Soften your eyes and rest. Allow your breath to slow down and match the rolling waves of the water. There is no effort to be here; spend time just taking it all in.
Listening to music
I listened to music now more than ever, much more than before Covid-19. Now working from home, music boosts me, keep me focused and make me enjoy my time. Make a playlist with your favourite songs, and let your brain do the rest. Music can have a soothing effect and even increase concentration by reducing stress markers and secretion of wellness hormones. It would work even better with classical music.
Do a physical activity
Physical exercise (of your choice) is a great way to get rid of stress, thanks to endorphins’ secretion. Personally, I do some running and, most of the time, CrossFit and training with bodyweight.
Endorphins are molecules released by the brain, particularly by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Once secreted, it produces beneficial effects against anxiety and depression.
Endorphin is the happiness hormone for the runner.
The quantity of endorphins increases during exercise and can reach five times the resting values 30 to 45 minutes after stopping the effort. Endurance sports are the most endorphinogenic. Jogging, cycling, aerobics, stepping, interval training are great activities you could perform to produce this hormone.
However, running is not enough to get a taste of the endorphins; you have to maintain your effort for half an hour while keeping a so-called comfortable endurance pace. In this zone, you should be able to hold a conversation.
Laughter
Watching, listening to, or reading something funny and laughing also helps relieve the pressure thanks to endorphins’ release. It will not produce as much as physical activity does, but it is an excellent way to relax before bed if you’re too tired to do your sport session.
Having a plant
If you’re like most people now, then you probably spend the majority of your time inside. Research has found that ‘forest bathing’ is extremely good for you; decreasing blood pressure and lowering stress levels. Bring the green inside when you don’t have the opportunity to get out. It can work wonders for your well-being and mental health.
Gardening has been found to ease stress and relieve feelings of anxiety. Whether you have several plants to take care of or just a couple, seeing your plant grow feels very rewarding and will boost your self-esteem.
Stretching
Stretching, alone or integrated with other activities such as yoga, can promote relaxation and release muscle tension. It will allow muscles to regain their original length.
Massage
Self-massages or massages can also help to relax tense muscles that are often over-stressed (e.g. massaging the upper trapezius muscles and doing mobility exercises).
Creative Activity
Doing a creative activity (tinkering, painting, drawing, cooking) helps to relieve anxiety. The brain concentrates on the gestures to be carried out or repeated, allowing parasitic and anxiety-provoking thoughts. Researchers showed that 45 minutes of creative activity significantly reduces stress in the body.
But don’t worry, the best part is that you don’t need to be good at it!
I am terrible at drawing, but I feel so good after doing it. It really takes my mind off my problems.
Final thoughts:
These general tips are complementary to each other. From my personal experience, the sport, deep breathing and creative activity are working the best.
However, it’s up to each person to test and find out what works best for them. I would recommend you try some of the activities listed previously; I am sure you will find the most suitable for you.
Exercising in the evening will also help you have a recovering sleep. I discussed it in depth in my last article. You will find some interesting facts about the benefits of training later rather than early in the morning.
Perfect if you struggle to get out of your comfortable bed in the morning to do sport!
