Yesterday, for many of us in the United States, life as we know it changed with the temporary shutdown of many workplaces, schools, and organizations. Coronavirus, a.k.a. COVID-19, has taken our world by storm, sparking reactions ranging from indifference, to panic-buying of household staples, to high levels of anxiety and fear. For many of us, especially those prone to anxiety, this is a deeply challenging time.
When our nervous systems sense danger, whether physical or mental, they typically propel us into one of three responses, all of which can feel mentally and physically uncomfortable:
Fight - anger, physical activity, impassioned speech, action
Flight - running away, pretending that nothing is happening, acting out of panic and fear
Freeze - staying put, feeling stuck yet in high alert, ruminating on fearful thoughts, panic attacks
These fight, flight, or freeze responses to a perceived threat are natural, even helpful at times, yet it is important to help our bodies complete the stress cycle so that our nervous systems can cycle out of our high-alert fight/flight/freeze state. How can we do this, particularly when our physical environment and day-to-day activities may look so different than they usually do? A few simple ideas:
Exercise - Moving our bodies helps expend any pent-up energy, and allows us to “complete the cycle” when our bodies relax after exercise. Many wonderful at-home workout videos are available online - for kids, we love Cosmic Kids Yoga; I’m partial to doing Pilates with Robin Long of The Balanced Life, or just dancing around my living room. Even better, if you’re symptom-free, get outdoors for a hike, walk, or other form of outdoor exercise (remembering to practice social distancing, of course)!
Laugh - Laughing lets our bodies know that we are safe. Turn on a funny show (“The Office” and “The Mindy Project” are two of my faves) or comedy special, play a game with a family member, or read a book that will make you laugh out loud!
Hug someone - Obviously, this comes with a huge caveat right now! But if you have someone in your household who is also largely self-quarantining, and you are already in close quarters, enjoy a nice long hug. Long hugs (think 20 seconds or longer) have been shown to essentially press the reset button on our nervous systems. Cuddling or petting your pet can have similar effects!
Breathe - Yes, I know, many people have been told “just breathe!” when facing a stressful event and have found it profoundly unhelpful. Breathing alone will not solve the issue at hand, but taking deep breaths does have a calming effect on the nervous system, allowing us to face the next moments with increased calm and clarity of mind.
Spend time in nature - As an ecotherapist, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this last idea. Taking time to appreciate nature, whether on a hike, by enjoying the view from your window, or even by watching Planet Earth or another nature video, can absolutely have positive, calming effects on our nervous system. Even using visualization to imagine yourself in a favorite place - for me, it’s the California Redwoods - can help you feel more peaceful and calm.
Above all, do your best to give yourself and those around you grace during this time. It is uncharted territory for most of us, and certainly very stressful for nearly everybody. Tomorrow, I’ll be sharing another blog post with more thoughts on how we can have a healthy response to the stress and life changes that Coronavirus has brought.