How Pandemic Stress Can Hurt Your Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how the world is operating and has created a lot of uncertainty. You may be social distancing or wearing a mask to avoid contracting the virus, but the epidemic could be hurting your health in different ways.
Most gyms and yoga studios have been shut down to keep the virus at bay; hence, if you are a fitness enthusiast, not doing any physical exercise could hurt your health. Also, being separated from your loved ones, the fear of being ill, and the lifestyle changes could be increasing your stress levels.
Symptoms of Pandemic Stress
Your hair and skin may indicate that you are stressed. If you are an adult who has had an acne breakout, or patches of itchy skin, you may be stressed. When your stress levels increase, your body produces a hormone known as cortisol, which helps your body respond to many stress levels. However, it often increases oil production, triggering acne development.
Your digestive system may also take a hit during this pandemic period. There has been an increase in the gastrointestinal tract symptoms, including constipation, irregular bowel movement, and chronic diarrhea. These symptoms are not entirely stress-related; they are also due to diet changes because of staying at home.
How to Eliminate the Pandemic Stress
Exercising regularly and a healthy diet can reduce your stress levels during this pandemic period.
How Does Yoga Help?
We recommend practicing yoga at least four times a week to help manage your stress levels. It controls the stress response systems, leading to a lower heart rate and better blood pressure. Additionally, the poses are soothing and can eliminate all negative thoughts that lead to depression.
The best thing is that you can practice in the comfort of your home. If you work from home, you can squeeze in a couple of minutes to practice. If you are a beginner, we recommend starting with simple poses such as the warrior pose, or the child’s pose. These will soothe you and help you focus better.
Exercise Is a Stress Reliever
Doing all your work from home is not easy; you have to learn how to balance your time effectively. Additionally, the pandemic may negatively affect your business, leading to decreased revenue and an increase in stress levels.
You do not have to do the toughest exercises to remain sane. We have seen simple exercises such as jogging or brisk walking, help in reducing stress levels. Any physical activity leads to the production of endorphins. Endorphins are feel-good hormones; hence, you are guaranteed to feel great when you exercise.
Regular exercise can help you relax, increase your confidence levels, improve your sleep, and lower anxiety.
A Healthy Diet Can Eliminate Stress
Do not overlook the importance that a healthy diet plays in eliminating stress. Working from home presents an excellent opportunity to prepare healthy meals. We recommend that you make most of your meals at home instead of getting take-out. Eating at home increases the chances of eating healthy meals.
The uncertainty of the coronavirus can lead to increased stress levels. To eliminate stress, exercise regularly at the comfort of your home, and eat healthy meals. You can also start on new projects to keep you busy and prevent you from drifting into destructive behavior.