by The Mind Faculty
As we isolate at home, our normal lives are disrupted. This can compound the fear and uncertainty that we may be feeling as the world grinds to a halt around us. Having a routine can help us to structure our days in self-quarantine and ground us. Moreover, routines can also give you a micro-lift, which is a sense of accomplishment upon completing a certain task.
Often, our ‘normal’ lives have micro-lifts built into them: from finding a parking space at work to buying a latte from your favourite coffee store. These moments may seem insignificant at first, but cumulatively, they could have a huge effect on our mental health.
Having a routine can help you to integrate micro-lifts during your day and help you to improve your well-being.
Physical Self-Care Routines
Move your body everyday.
Walk, do yoga, watch an IGTV video of your favourite fitness influencer. Move your body everyday. If you experience restlessness from self-quarantining at home, it can help to alleviate this. Exercise also produces endorphins to lift your mood and strengthens your immune system.
Breathwork
Take 10 deep belly breaths throughout the day, or whenever you feel stressed or anxious. This switches your body from your fight or flight response (characterised from shallow chest breaths) to your rest and digest system. This helps to lower your heart rate and blood pressure, signalling to your body that you are safe, which can then relax your mind.
Sleep routine.
Late starts and even later nights can be tempting when you are working from home. Disrupting your natural sleep patterns can make anxiety worse. You can afford to be flexible with your bedtime but you should establish a routine for your sleep. E.g., no screens after 11 pm.
Nutrition
Another temptation of self-quarantine is the 24/7 access to our fridge. We may be tempted to snack when we feel bored or anxious, which can lead us to feel lethargic and heavy. Ensure that you are eating proper meals containing vitamins and minerals that support your cognitive function and nervous system.
If you still overwhelmed, please get in touch with us. The Mind Faculty is offering online therapy sessions during the MCO for anyone feeling anxious and overwhelmed by the state of the world. We are a private mental health therapy centre in Kuala Lumpur, offering a range of psychiatric, psychological, counselling and complementary therapy services.