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Corona. Lockdown. All over again? Not quite, but the newly imposed lockdown light is still a huge psychological blow to all of us. When the Corona pandemic brought everything to a standstill in the spring, the summer was full of rays of hope. And it gave us courage. Now not only are all restaurants, bars and museums closing again, but we are also facing the darkest, dimmest and longest season of the year. A low mood or even depression is pre-programmed.
Corona Lockdown light: How it affects the psyche
General frustration and collective fatigue spread immediately after the announcement of the Lockdown light. And probably the impending isolation, the broken plans, the renewed insecurity and these gnawing worries about the future will be emotionally more difficult for many to bear than in the spring. At least the psychiatrists agree on that. But: Cheer up! There are a lot of things you can do to counteract this black lockdown hole or even depression and to make it a little bit easier! Here are our tips on how to get through this Corona autumn mentally healthy. And don’t forget: Bad mood is completely justified! But: No matter how low the mood clouds hang, the sun will show up again sometime – for sure!
Corona Lockdown light: You can do this to avoid falling into a mood hole or depression
- bring structure into the day
The temptation is great to simply roll out of bed into your jogging pants and check your work emails right away. Therefore it is better to start the day with a coffee far away from your desk. Maybe even try to get up a few minutes earlier and plan a little time for a short meditation. It does not have to be half an hour. Five minutes makes a big difference and sets the tone for the day. And instead of washing your cat in the morning, always jump in the shower first thing. At lunchtime, take a break and simply take a walk around the block to air your head. Very important: draw a clear line in the evening! And don’t watch a movie first and then answer a few emails “briefly” again. Keeping up your daily structure (occasional slack periods are quite normal) gives us the satisfying feeling of being in control at least a little bit in this chaos. - movement is everything
Getting yourself together is always rewarded! Especially with good mood. No matter if a jogging round in the park or a zoom yoga class in your own living room. So many good mood hormones (good against depression) are released that the high mood afterwards is guaranteed! And of course the immune system also benefits. - strengthen the immune system with all means
The best protection against corona is a strong immune system. And healthy food is not only good for the body, but also for the psyche. Therefore, put as much fruit, vegetables and vitamin power on your plate as possible! And very important: If the sun is not shining for days on end, take vitamin D supplements (vitamin D is the only vitamin that the body cannot produce itself, but can only be absorbed through the skin through sunlight. The sun vitamin is extremely important for various metabolic processes). Most people suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, preparations are generally a good idea, especially in winter. And scientific studies prove that with an optimal Vitamin D mirror in the blood also the risk to get sick at Covid-19 massively lowered or with an illness the severity of the illness is strongly moderated. - Sleep is the best medicine – even against low spirits! Restful sleep is everything! It is essential for health, but also for our mood. Poor sleep makes us listless, leads to depression. That is why it is important to maintain a regular sleep cycle. It is helpful to have a calendar in which you make a precise note of your sleep patterns. Thus one comes disturbing factors and sleep robbers fast on the footsteps. And if you go to bed too early, you may lie awake for hours at the crack of dawn. It is best to stop drinking caffeine after 16.00 hours. And: too much alcohol is not only poison for the nerves, but also for the quality of sleep. A glass of wine is always fine, but it is better to give up the second glass and stop drinking alcohol at least two hours before going to bed. And try to avoid the harsh light of computers and smartphones right before going to bed.
- out into nature
Nature helps with bad mood and depressions. Just regularly drink your coffee in the morning before work instead of at home on the sofa on the park bench, listen to the birds chirping and let the sun shine on your face (vitamin D!). At lunchtime, take a regular spin around the block. And on weekends, go for long walks in the woods or park with your best friend. Or even organize a little bike ride. And don’t let dark rain clouds or cold temperatures keep you away. The motto here is: There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. Fresh air and nature work wonders! - maintain and nurture social contacts
When they are suddenly missing due to the Corona Lockdown, we notice especially what kind of energy sources our friends, family and colleagues are. So get a pizza to go with your best friend, sit together on the park bench wrapped in thick winter jackets, take a walk with your distance (and mask!), arrange to meet for zoom game nights and virtual after-work drinks. And if we’re already not allowed to visit our grannies anymore, we can still call them as often as possible! And those who lack the collective togetherness should think about making good use of their time and supporting voluntary organizations like soup kitchens and blackboards with other volunteers. Because: helping others is known to be the greatest source of happiness!
— hp, Source: elle.de. Picture: pixabay.com
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