What can’t be cured must be endured!
This has never been more relevant than the current scenario of coronavirus pandemic.
Three months passed by stuck in a war with the invisible. Many lost their lives and many are hanging on the edge. And the ruthless monster refuses to pause.
The curve is ceasing to flatten. The situation is getting darken. Fear, anxiety and panic are clouding the cities. And uncertainty is stirring up the air. It seems the pandemic is here for a little longer.
The waves of fear and panic are spreading faster than the virus itself.
As such, the only way to walk through this storm is by holding on to the calm. Letting go stress stabilizes your physical and mental vitality. It also helps in improving your immunity. And as you know, immunity is a crucial factor in this fight!
Simple practices of mindfulness can bring you the armament to survive this war!
Mindfulness to cope with COVID-19
Mindfulness is the state of being conscious yet calm. It means focusing your awareness at the present moment. Letting go off the guilts of the past and worries of the future. Living life at the present moment.
Mindfulness is calmly acknowledging and accepting the situation by practicing therapeutic techniques. Healing practices of the mind can ease your fight or flight hormones. Mindfulness can bring peace, heal depression, calm anxiety and relieve panic.
Mindfulness: Isn’t that tough?
Well, actually not!
While many perceive mindfulness as some act of deep meditation in a serene location, reality is far from it!
Even being attentive to the physical sensation of breathing for 5 second is mindfulness. Eating with complete concentration on the plate is mindfulness. Doing any activity with complete indulgence is mindfulness.
Even pausing for a few seconds and pausing the flow of thought is mindfulness.
Coronavirus Kicks your Stress
Stress turns on a fight or flight state in the body. It signals the mind that the body is in threat. And thus, the hormones gush in, heart rate speeds up and breathing becomes deeper. All of these changes help us in tackling the danger.
In times of danger, this response helps us in fighting or fleeing.
A temporary state of stress is not harmful.
But, problems creep in when the stress lingers for long.
Chronic or sustained stress results in:
- Increased risk of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke.
- Heighten risk of cancer.
- Digestive issues.
- Reduced libido and sexual performance.
- Distracted concentration and impaired decision making
Above all, stress can impair your immune system. Thus, making you more vulnerable to a host of diseases.
Coronavirus triggers your stress and stress increases your risk. This is a vicious cycle that can only be broken by breathing away your stress with mindfulness.
6 tips to practicing mindfulness
- Breathe away your stress
Deep breathing helps to initiate body’s relaxation response. Even a few minutes of deep breathing can alleviate anxiety and relieve a panic attack. Research reveals pranayama to be very effective in dealing with stress, depression, insomnia. Thus, it can also improve your immunity. Even Harvard studies advocated the use of pranayama to fight COVID-19.
- Meditate to calm
There is no better practice than meditation to calm your mind. Sit in a relaxed posture, close your eyes, stop your thoughts and concentrate on breathing. These few minutes of blank mind can help relax your mind and body.
Harvard studies also urged people to practice meditation for maintaining calm and strengthening immunity.
- Let music take over your mind
When all the negative thoughts cloud your mind, let the breeze of music wash it all away. Listen to soulful music, sleep music, therapeutic meditative music to feel relaxed and calm. - Work out to fit in
Staying in does not have to mean no physical activity. A few minutes of power-packed exercise is necessary for your body. It not just brings physical benefits but also helps in mental healing. Exercise releases endorphins, the happy hormones, that switches your mood.
Working out is a powerful tool to fight depression. - Feed your mind with good food
Good food is essential for a healthy body. But it also plays a role in setting your mood. Add adaptogens to your diet, they help in relieving stress. Eating healthy food in a mindful way eases your digestion and makes you more satiated.
The stress and tremor can easily cause a digestion problem. So, eating healthy is very crucial at this time. - Let Gratitude be your attitude
Start writing a gratitude diary. And even if it was a dull day, the fact that you survived makes it a good day!
So, pen your thoughts and see the bright side while writing this gratitude diary. Research proves that gratitude diary writing can bring great health benefits – physical and mental.
A few more tips
- Engage your energy in dancing.
- Focus on creating. Try gardening, painting, music, cooking.
- Spend time with family. Talk and reconnect.
- Don’t try to multitask.
- Delegate household work to house members now that everyone is free.
- Read and reflect.
- Pray and heal.
- Stay away from the negative information.
- Acknowledge, accept and be positive.
- Find your balance.
