COVID-19 has continued to impact our lives, not least due to the necessary restriction required to keep yourself and others safe.
A recent study reveals that such measures are affecting more than just our physical health. The study was published in The Lancet (“Bidirectional associations between COVID-19 and psychiatric disorder: retrospective cohort studies of 62 354 COVID-19 cases in the USA.”)
The research reveals that one in three survivors of the virus experience mental health conditions, the majority being anxiety and mood disorders. This is a major sign that it’s time for people to start taking control of their mental health. There is also early evidence that COVID-19 related illness can affect the central nervous system.
With anxiety and depression seemingly on the rise, an important role is to be filled in terms of encouraging people to take action toward protecting their mental health is an urgent priority.
In relation to this, Woke Hero Founder and clinical psychologist Avantika Dixit explains to Digital Journal: “As anxiety and depression increases, everyone, especially stressed-out Millennials, need to start playing a concentrated and active role in caring for their own mental health. Now more than ever, it’s imperative to seek out healthy and effective methods to cope with the events going on around us and in our lives.”
Taking care of mental health does not necessarily mean a trip to the therapist or to a medical practitioner. Dixit offers four evidence-based natural interventions to Digital Journal reader that are proven to help ease mental stress. These are:
A Daily Contemplative Practice Increases Mental Well-Being: Just 20 minutes of a daily contemplative practice can help keep anxiety and depression at bay. Activities can be as simple as meditation, breathing work, writing in a gratitude journal, or trying positive visualizations. 20 minutes is just the minimum time needed—but the more time, the better.
Good Nutrition Keeps Mind and Body in Balance: Cutting sugar and refined carbs, adding healthy vegetables and whole foods, and fasting for 12-18 hours a day can help keep mind and body in good shape. The risk for cognitive damage and dementia increases during the high insulin states caused by too much sugar and simple carbs. We already fast when sleeping; adding 4 more hours before or after the 8-hour sleep cycle creates a fasting window of 12 to 18 hours, allowing the body to do a metabolic reset.
Exercise Maintains Mental and Physical Health: 30 minutes of daily aerobic exercise creates optimal cognitive, neurological and neurochemical states in the body and releases the BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) responsible for brain regeneration and protection. Strength or resistance training 2-3 times a week triggers brain cells to regenerate while stimulating muscle growth.
Good Sleep Can Melt the Stress Away: A good night’s sleep is vital for health and keeping the brain’s neurochemical balance at an optimum level. Recent studies show that Americans are not sleeping enough. Creating a sleep ritual every night (turning off technology, reading a book, taking a warm bath, or snuggling with a pet before bed), can be a prelude to a perfect night’s sleep.
