My Top Tips to Get Through Lockdown 3.0

Going into a 3rd National Lockdown has been tough on everyone and it is a situation none of us wanted to find ourselves in. Although these lockdowns have inevitably caused stress and worry for many people, there are things you can do to help you get through this lockdown and improve your mental wellbeing.

I am going to share my top 10 tips to get through lockdown, in hope that it will help you have a less stressful lockdown than the previous ones.

1) Go Outside

Going outside has been shown to reap many benefits for our mental health. Being outside clears your mind and improves focus and productivity. It also reduces stress, boosts your mood, and increases sleep quality which will help you to feel happier and healthier overall. When out in the fresh air, your lungs are taking in more oxygen resulting in an increase in the amount of oxygen in your blood, which will lead to more oxygen circulating our brain. This will help you feel energised, improve your ability to concentrate, and remember information. Also, there is growing research within a scientific field called ecotherapy that shows a strong connection between time spent in nature and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.

With all this information highlighting the amazing benefits of getting outside, why not try setting aside at least 20-30 minutes a day to get out in the fresh air.

2) Exercise

Exercise has been shown to have a profoundly positive impact on depression and anxiety. Exercising relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, increases self-esteem and boosts your overall mood. During exercise endorphins are released which are powerful chemicals in your brain that energise your spirits and make you feel good. Not only does exercise increase your overall mood in the long-run, it also offers a temporary distraction and will help you to break out of a cycle of negative thoughts and emotions. However, this does not mean you have to be an athlete to reap the benefits of exercise, as little as 15 minutes of movement a day can help your mood, but don't push yourself too hard, just do what you are comfortable with and it will still have a positive impact on your mood.

3) Limit Your News/Media Intake

Since the pandemic began, a lot of people increased their news consumption in order to keep up with what was going on. However, this is not helpful for some people and can lead to worry, stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Constantly viewing the news is a constant reminder of the pandemic and situation that we are currently in and has had a negative affect on many people. In order to reduce the negative affect the news may be having on you, try to set aside a certain time each day that you will update yourself on current news. Once you are caught up ensure that you are then avoiding any news consumption. It is also important to reduce social media interaction as the current situation is talked about just as much on social media as it is in the news. If it is too much for you to take in the information yourself, you could ask someone you trust, less affected by the digestion of such information, to update you if there are any changes. Most importantly, set aside time for yourself to relax, and remember that although it may not seem it sometimes, this will end.

4) Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is essential for memory, mood, and focus. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that nutrition may play an important role in the prevention, development, and management of diagnosed mental health problems. The positive impact of healthy eating may include improving your mood, increasing your energy, and helping you think more clearly. Although healthy eating is a great mood booster, it does not mean you need to start an unrealistic diet, or put too much pressure on yourself, because let's be honest it is not the time to be pressuring yourself. Rather, you can focus on eating regularly, eating slow-release energy foods, staying hydrated, eating your 5-a-day, getting enough protein, managing caffeine, and eating the right fats (such as oily fish, poultry, nuts, avocado, milk, yoghurt, and cheese).

5) Read

Reading gives you a chance to switch off and break that cycle of negative thoughts and feelings. Reading has been shown to put our brains into a state similar to meditation, and it brings the same health benefits of deep relaxation and inner calm. It has been suggested that reading regularly leads to better sleep, lower stress levels, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of depression. Personally, I enjoy reading a self-development book in the morning and a fiction book at night. I highly recommend The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve Peters, if you are looking for a book to help you manage your mind and understand why you feel, act, and think the way you do. Also, I am currently reading The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary as my nighttime fiction novel and I am really enjoying it.

6) Journalling

Journalling helps improve your mood by helping you prioritise your problems, fears, and concerns. Daily journalling allows you to track your days enabling you to notice any triggers and learn ways to better control them, It helps keep your thoughts organised, rather than storing all your thoughts in your head, it is much more beneficial for you to get them written down on paper. Journalling will help with self-reflection, clearing your mind, and gaining control of your emotions, which will help with your overall mental wellbeing. I highly recommend 'The 6 Minute Diary' which is available on Amazon. It focuses on positive psychology and is based on scientific findings, and will help you be more grateful, self-reflective, and positive.

7) Contact Friends and Family

As humans we are a naturally social species and we thrive off interaction with others. One of the toughest parts of lockdown for most people is not being able to see friends and family. Socialising can reduce feelings of loneliness, sharpen memory and cognitive skills, and increases happiness and wellbeing, therefore it is no surprise we are all struggling with the lack of social interaction. However, as most of us have access to a phone nowadays, it is important to make the most of this by staying in touch with your family and friends. This can be by FaceTime, messages, group chats, and over social media. You could also find some more fun ways of interacting such as celebrating occasions, zoom quizzes, and online games. Most importantly, be there for each other and don't be afraid to reach out.

8) Start a New Hobby

Taking up a hobby or learning a new skill is recommended by Public Health England, as a way of managing mental health while isolating. Starting a new hobby will distract you from your worries, help you come to terms with or reappraise things, and get a new perspective. It is also great for boosting confidence and self-esteem. As well as all the benefits gained from starting a new hobby, it also offers something to fill your time with and distract yourself. Taking up a new hobby or skill may also provide you with a sense of purpose which is something humans thrive of. If you are struggling to think of a new hobby to start, here are some suggestions: painting, running, drawing, dancing, baking, learning a new language, making your own candles, and writing. Make sure to pick something you think you will enjoy!

9) Self-Care

During this lockdown it is important to not be too hard on yourself. You are currently living through a pandemic and it is completely new to all of us. Setting aside time for a self-care session at least once a week is a great way to de-stress and relax, whilst also providing something to do to distract yourself. Personally, when I am having a self-care session I love to have a hot bath, put on a face mask, do my nails, and watch my favourite film or series. Make sure you are putting yourself first and looking after your mental wellbeing by allowing yourself downtime.

10) Stop Comparing Yourself

With a lot of us spending more time on social media due to having more free time, we are comparing ourselves to others more than usual. Of course, this is an unhelpful thing to do for so many reasons and it is important to try and avoid it. One way in which can help to reduce how much you compare yourself is by reducing the amount of time you spend on social media and unfollowing any accounts that make you feel negative. Secondly, it is vital to remember that what we see on social media is what others choose to share to highlight the best parts of their life and is not a true representation of the reality of their lives. One of my favourite quotes from The 6 Minute Diary is 'we keep comparing our insides with someone else's outsides', and if I am ever comparing myself to others I remind myself of this quote and take myself off social media.

I hope that these tips have given you some ideas on what you can do to help yourself and your mental wellbeing during this lockdown, however, I also want to highlight that me writing these tips does not mean that I have mastered getting through the lockdown, like everyone I still have bad days, and that is completely okay. During this current situation, sometimes just getting through the day is more than enough. Although, the more you take part in things such as I have mentioned, you should start to feel better overall.

Finally, please remember that this will end. It may not seem like it sometimes but this situation and the feelings that come with it are temporary.

Liv x