In January 2020 the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Fast forward four months and in the UK, we have been in a Government imposed lock down for four weeks. How are we coping?

Personally, my children have taken it quite hard not being able to see friends or go to school. As well as a massive change in routine. The only essential travel we have is a walk to the supermarket to buy food and a drive out to Alresford to deliver groceries to elderly vunerable relatives. 

While I and my family understand the need for self-isolation for public health reasons to help stop the spread of COVID-19. What about the effect on our mental health? 

In my own work as an osteopath I normally see 10-12 different patients per day. That’s 10-12 different conversations and interactions everyday not to mention the small talk when buying a coffee, going to the gym or just seeing people in the street. Four weeks in and those interactions have disappeared. As much as I love my children the conversation isn’t exactly stimulating. 

We are bombarded with daily death tolls and failings in health and social care. People have replaced “good-bye” with “stay-safe” and this all adds to the stress we are feeling as a nation. What practical things can we do to help safeguard our mental health?

Sleep Well

Sleep is one of the most underated interventions for our health.

It’s been well documented that people who don’t get enough sleep suffer more stress and anxiety. While we’re off work it might be tempting to stay up for a couple of hours later to squeeze in another episode of that Netflix series. One night is ok, but, making a habit of late nights will have a detrimental effect on the quality of your sleep and your recovery. 

Try to get into an evening routine which is sometimes referred to as “sleep hygiene.” Stop working at least an hour before you aim to sleep. Have a hot bath or shower and put your phone on silent. I have reports from patients who use eye masks in bed and find they get off to sleep much quicker. 

Exercise Often

Making exercise a family affair and part of the daily routine ensures you can fit your workout in.

Boris has told us that we are allowed out once a day for physical activity. Make the most of it. Now is the time to dust off your trainers and get outside. It doesn’t matter if you walk or run or bike. Just get your heart rate up and keep moving for 30minutes. 

If you can get outside, the fresh air will make you feel invigorated and the exercise will pump the endorphins around your body. You’ll also feel a great sense of achievement. There is a load of scientific evidence supporting exercise to improve mental health. Only yesterday the Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty was advocating the use of exercise and said he couldn’t see a scenario where exercise would be bad. 

If you’d prefer to exercise indoors then YouTube is a free resource with thousands of free workouts for you to try. There’s everything from yoga to Pilates to bodyweight instructor lead workouts. You can even type in the duration of the workout you’re looking for. Personally, my favourite is the YouTube channel Yoga with Adrienne as I can choose the duration to fit in with my day. There are also local Colchester trainers who offer online workouts. For a bodyweight workout if would recommend Gabriel Beckett at GB BootCamp. The lovely super awesome Andrea Jane Evans offers fun boxing workouts suitable for just about everyone.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/538476933205618/

https://www.facebook.com/andrea.j.evans.9

The main thing is to stick to a routine. Exercise the same time each day if you can and preferably outdoors to get that zap of Vitamin D. If you can get your kids or partner to do it with you then you’ll have more chance of making it a habit and sticking to it.

Eat Healthy

Try to aim for a diet that is colourful and packed with nutrients.

If there’s one excuse I’ve heard over and over then it’s “I’ve not got time to make healthy food.” Now is the time to make that fruit salad with your breakfast or that smoothie as a snack. Eating a healthy diet is like exercise. You need to build it up slowly. Start by drinking a bit more water and a few pieces of fruit and vegetables per day. Your digestive and immune system will really thank you for it. There’s nothing sexy or complicated about this advice but its evidence based and most people I see don’t hit five portions of fruit or vegetables per day. When we make healthier food choices then we begin to feel better with ourselves. 

Embrace Stillness

Taking a few minutes out for ourselves allows us to recharge out batteries.

We have been constantly bombarded with articles in the media about making the most of the time to learn a new skill. If you’re lucky enough to find ten minutes in the day to sit still and relax then embrace this time. Take time to be mindful of your thoughts and what you’re telling yourself. Don’t let this internal dialogue run away and cause you to catastrophise over something you cannot change. 

At the same time I’m promoting movement and exercise try not to fall into the dark guilt trap. It takes a lot of motivation to get up and get moving. Especially if you’re in pain or have a mental health problem. If you miss a planned workout don’t sweat, it and beat yourself up. Be kind to yourself and try again tomorrow. 

Reach Out If Required

Be brave and reach out to someone if you need help.

If you are feeling down, lonely or isolated then don’t be afraid to reach out. Mental health issues do not define you and it isn’t who you really are. The sooner you make contact with someone the sooner you will be on the road to recovery. You are not weak or a failure. In fact, by asking for help you are being braver than you can ever imagine. Talking is a powerful tool in rationalising mental health problems. 

You may want to speak to a close friend or someone you can trust. They can help sign post you to the right person. Often with mental health people don’t think they are worthy of a GP appointment. They can help book appointments for you and even accompany you for moral support. 

Be brave and talk. 

Stay Social

Humans are very social creatures - stay in touch.

 Social interactions are part of every day life. However, with this lock down we are distancing ourselves from most physical contact. . There is a human need to be part of group and accepted in society. Dysfunctional social behaviour has been implicated with depression and other mental health disorders. This is the time where we really do need to make the effort to pick up the phone or FaceTime that person who’s fell off the radar. If someone is telling you they’re fine but their behaviour contradicts this then keep an eye on them. Offer them an invitation to an online chat or quiz night but also be patient if it takes time for them to take you up on an offer.

It’s so important that we don’t just look after ourselves physically but mentally too. By practicing these simple self-care tips you can not only improve your own health and well being but you might just help somebody else too.