"Will this lockdown ever end?", an actor friend of mine asked me over the phone. The tone of the question made it clear that it was asked more out of a sense of despair and desperation than the hope of getting a definitive answer. The pandemic has particularly been tough on the film industries around the world with shoots either getting cancelled or delayed indefinitely. With no work, no alternate source of income, and uncertainty looming over their future, actors are feeling insecure. The insecurity is turning into anxiety which is giving way to deep depression and suicidal thoughts. As a result, staying positive during lockdown is becoming an insurmountable challenge for actors and performers across the globe.
But it's not just the people from the entertainment industry who are facing mental health problems due to the pandemic. People belonging to the tourism industry, aviation industry, event management industry, hotel and restaurant industry, etc., are also struggling with mental health issues amidst prolonged lockdowns.
With people staying at home, nature is experiencing the positive impacts of Coronavirus. But the human mind is feeling suffocated in the confines of the four walls. A sense of negativity and despondency is creeping into people's mindsets. The coronavirus pandemic is pushing nations into a serious mental health crisis. Such is the psychological fear of the pandemic that the "coronavirus vaccine" search query is gaining popularity on Google with every passing day.
People are praying for things to get back to normal. But who knows what the new normal is going to be like? In such a state of uncertainty, staying positive is the only thing that is under our control. So here are the top tips for staying positive during lockdown!
1. Stay Physically Active
One common thing that happens with almost all of us during lockdown is that we become couch potatoes. Our laziness develops into a sedentary lifestyle that prohibits the production of serotonin. But what is serotonin?
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates your mood and behaviour. It is a chemical that contributes to the feeling of happiness, satisfaction, and well-being of an individual. Exercising boosts the production of happy hormones like serotonin and endorphins.
These happy hormones perform the following functions:
- Reduce your stress and anxiety levels.
- Eliminate the feeling of pain.
- Enhance your cognitive functions like decision-making, attention, problem-solving, memory, and perception.
- Trigger a positive feeling in the body.
- Improve your overall mental health.
In a way, you can say that breaking a sweat is the most inexpensive anti-depressant that helps you in staying positive during lockdown.
So indulge in some form of physical activity every day - be it a home workout, an outdoor jog in your building premises, a yoga session, or even a dancing session. And experience the much-needed rush of happiness in these troubled times.
2. Reduce Your Consumption Of Negative News
Did you know that the actual death rate of coronavirus is just 4.3%. This means that out of 100 people infected by the coronavirus, close to 96 people are recovering successfully from the disease.
But if you browse through news channels, newspapers, or online news portals, all you see are reports on death counts, miserable health infrastructures in every country, the mass burial of dead patients, protests of medical staff, etc. The amount of negativity covered in the reports makes you feel like the survival rate is 4.3% and not the death rate.
Excessive negative news bordering around coronavirus and the death toll is creating anxiety and mental fatigue in people. People are literally scared to be admitted to a hospital after testing positive for the virus as they suspect that the disease is untreatable. Some of them are even committing suicide due to the same fear.
Therefore, people with pre-existing emotional and mental health issues should completely stay away from any kind of negative news. And those who don't have such issues should reduce their consumption of negative news to stay mentally healthy.
Agreed, news channels and newspapers have a responsibility to show us the reality. But that doesn't mean excessively highlighting the negative news just for higher TRP's, web traffic, and more sales of newspapers. There's a lot of good happening throughout the world as well. It's high time that the news broadcasters and journalists show that too and help people in staying positive during lockdown.
3. Develop a Basic Routine
An essential tip for staying positive during lockdown is to build a new routine. In uncertain times like the present, it helps to have a semblance of certainty in life. Create that certainty yourself by developing a basic routine. Having a routine keeps you motivated and comforts you that not everything that's happening around is sad or depressing.
Fix a time for all the important activities of the day like waking up, having all your meals, exercising, working on a project, learning a skill, sleeping, etc. Write a list of the things you plan to do in the day. Set short-term goals and try to achieve them.
Tick off the goal once you achieve it and as a mark of celebration, reward yourself with your favourite food. This will lift your spirits and have you excited to achieve the next goal. If a particular task remains unfinished, then carry it forward to the next day or week and prioritize it. This way you will be focussed and have the motivation to wake up the next day.
Building a routine will ensure that you have your meals regularly and develop a proper sleeping schedule. It will reduce procrastination, alleviate stress, instill good habits, improve efficiency, build your self-confidence, and give a smooth flow to your day. You'll consequently become a happier person, brimming with positivity.
4. Take Inspiration From People In Far More Distressing Situations
Remember the famous quote - "I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet"? If you feel that you're facing a difficult time during the lockdown, then think about the condition of the people who've had it much worse - the migrant workers and labourers in India.
Several migrant workers had to walk more than a thousand kilometres to get to their native villages after their employers refused to take care of them during the lockdown.
The workers and their family members braved many odds like the scorching summer heat, lack of money, hunger, thirst, blisters in their feet, absence of toilets, lack of a proper place to sleep during their journey, etc., to finally reach their homes.
If the migrant workers can overcome such life-threatening difficulties with their steely resolve, then you too can survive the lockdown. They could have taken the easy option of giving up but they didn't. They fought hard and ultimately succeeded. It proves that tough times never last, but tough people do.
How coronavirus will impact the world is not under your control. But staying hopeful and optimistic in these adverse times is definitely under your control. Therefore, all you got to do for staying positive during lockdown is to take inspiration from people who've overcome far more distressing situations.
5. Get Some Sun
Did you know that a lack of exposure to sunlight can cause a deficiency of Vitamin D and trigger a kind of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder? (SAD, literally!!) Actually, sunlight is a mood enhancer. It boosts our immunity by helping us generate Vitamin D and several essential hormones.
Exposure to sunlight strengthens bones, heals skin disorders and fungal infections, promotes hair growth, and helps the brain in the production of a happy hormone called serotonin.
Serotonin improves your mood and makes you joyful and calm. A shortage of serotonin can result in low energy, mood swings, sleep disorders, negative thoughts, and irritability. It can also cause an increase in suicidal tendencies.
So remember to get some sun during the lockdown as it's important for your physical, mental, and emotional wellness. Aim to stay in the sunlight for at least 15-20 minutes, preferably in the morning. And if you're heading out of your house to soak some sunlight, then please wear a mask and follow the rules of social distancing.
6. Revisit an Old Hobby Or Pick Up a New One
Since most of your time is usually spent chasing deadlines, meeting targets, and working round the clock in this dog eat dog world, the lockdown provides you with the perfect opportunity to dedicate time to yourself.
Revisit an old hobby that you neglected due to lack of time. Put your creative instincts at work. Because you're doing what you love in an environment that's stress-free, you become more alert and sharp. Your productivity increases and this, in turn, boosts your self-confidence. In a way, getting back to your old hobbies is therapeutic.
But it's not just an old hobby that can stimulate you physically and mentally. You could even pick up a new hobby. Focussing your energies towards learning a new skill transports you into a world of your own, away from the gloom of the lockdown. It keeps you on your toes and leads to feelings of excitement and fun.
Pursuing a hobby helps you achieve a positive frame of mind. And if doing what you enjoy helps you in staying positive during lockdown, then that's not a bad deal in times such as these!
7. Practice Pranayama
Pranayama is the science of yogic breathing techniques that contribute to the physical, physiological, and mental well-being of an individual. Pranayama, which roughly translates to "control of vital energy in the body", makes you feel light and gives you mental clarity. It detoxifies you by helping you release negative emotions, thereby filling you with positive energy.
How you feel changes the way you breathe. Every emotional pattern has a specific breathing pattern associated with it. So when you feel low, sad, irritable, tense, or angry, you have a particular way of breathing.
Remember how your elders told you to take 10 deep breaths when angry? That's because there's a science of Pranayama behind it. Deep breathing stimulates a relaxing response that shifts your mood from anger to calmness.
So when you consciously regulate your breathing through techniques of Pranayama, you change your behavioural pattern from tense, sad, and angry to calm, relaxed, and happy. You ensure that more oxygen reaches your system. This improves blood circulation, ensuring that your cells receive more nutrition. As a result, your bodily functions improve, your energy levels increase, and you feel good about yourself.
Yogic breathing results in the smooth transportation of fluids in the lymph system. It strengthens your lungs, builds your immunity, and helps your body fight against infections like the coronavirus. So practice Pranayama regularly as it will not only help you in staying positive during lockdown but also have a positive long-term impact on your body.
8. Limit Your Screen Time And Get Adequate Sleep
Want to know the secret to staying positive during lockdown? Simple! Stay away from electronic gadgets and get enough sleep. Let me explain how. Due to lockdown, most of us are endlessly scrolling our social media feeds way past our bedtime. Our screen time has increased exponentially thanks to the funny videos on Instagram, roast videos on Youtube, and our favourite web shows on Netflix.
What we don't understand is that the increased screen time is affecting our sleep pattern. Our digital devices emit a specific blue light that tricks our brain into thinking it's morning. This light suppresses the release of a sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin. Since we continuously process new pictures, videos, and articles, our brain stays engaged and loses consciousness of the time of the day. As a result, our sleep pattern gets disrupted.
This lack of sleep causes insomnia which affects our biological body clock and has a negative influence on our energy levels, emotions, and bodily functions. Scientific research says that 75% of the people suffering from depression have insomnia symptoms. Therefore, it's necessary to reduce our screen time to reduce the risk of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Stop using electronic gadgets at least an hour before bedtime. Instead, read something before sleeping. Depending on your routine, create a 12-hour "no mobile clause" and stick to it. Get adequate sleep. Studies show that getting enough sleep dramatically improves your mood. It boosts your immunity and makes you a happier person.
9. Extend a Hand Of Support To Your Social Circle
Often times it happens that you lose touch with your near and dear ones. And you conveniently blame your busy schedule for falling out of touch with them. But with the lockdown, pretty much everyone is housebound. This gives you the perfect opportunity to touch base with your relatives, close friends, long lost school buddies, etc.
We know that many people are experiencing loneliness due to the lockdown. They may not admit it openly but they need someone to talk to as spending time in isolation at home can be taxing. And these people might turn out to be in your own social circle.
By talking to them, you are unknowingly extending a hand of support to them. By checking on them, you're making them feel that they're cared for and not alone in these hard times. You're giving them a sense of security and hope by being there for them and hearing them out.
Thus, by staying connected with your social circle, you're becoming a happy and positive person as well.
10. Live Mindfully And Embrace Your Emotions
When facing tough situations in life, we generally have a tendency to imagine the worst-case scenarios that may not actually happen. Like the current lockdown scenario has our mind spiraling into a negative loop of thoughts. Thoughts that are telling us that the future is bleak.
Do not fall victim to this mindset. Break the loop of negative thoughts by trying to live mindfully. What does that mean? To live mindfully is to completely live in the present without letting your mind get distracted to the past or future. It means to be aware without judging yourself.
In this very moment, you are safe, breathing, alive. Notice it. Be thankful for it. Count your blessings and express gratitude. No point dwelling into the future and getting bogged down. Instead, enjoy this very moment of being alive and relish it thoroughly.
Yes, some days you feel low. You might not want to do anything "productive". You might feel emotionally overwhelmed. After all, this pandemic is something that we've never experienced before. But it's okay to feel all of this. Accept your emotions. Acknowledge them and embrace them. Don't blame yourself for feeling sad.
If you're finding it difficult to handle your feelings, then reach out to a person you trust and share your feelings with them. If you don't have someone you can trust, then seek professional help. But don't lose hope. Tell yourself "I admit I am feeling jittery, low, and unhappy but it's okay. This is not going to last forever. A vaccine will eventually come and the lockdown will end".
Agreed, staying positive during lockdown is a challenge but don't give up. As the famous Persian adage goes, "This too, shall pass".
Conclusion
The coronavirus pandemic has imprinted itself upon the world's psyche. Never in close to 100 years has anybody seen anything like this before. Our way of life has been disrupted, economies have crashed, healthcare systems are reeling, people are scared to shake hands and go to public places.
Lockdowns are becoming the new normal. Each day we're encountering this unusual beast of being homebound. But it's okay. This is not going to last forever. A vaccine will eventually be developed. It's just an uncomfortable passing phase, not a bad life. Use this time to find inspiration.
Derive positivity from the fact that you are literally saving lives just by staying home. Self-reflect and understand yourself. You have survived all the things in your past with your resilience and strength. And you'll get through this too. Just breathe.
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