The strain of lockdown is taking its toll on us in a range of different ways including on our wellbeing. But there are lots of things we can do to build up our resilience and look after our mental health at this time. ShareJoy went to Pieta, one of Ireland’s leading charities, to get some helpful tips.

Sleep

Having an adequate amount of sleep each night is not only vital for our physical health & immune system but also for our mental and emotional well-being. Sleep is a time when our body and mind recover from the day. Having a healthy sleep routine can be helpful in getting quality sleep such as having a regular time to go to bed each night, limiting screen time to at least an hour before bedtime & limiting caffeine intake. When we don’t get enough sleep and are already stressed about something in our lives, lack of sleep can turn up the volume further on our stress and impact the way we think and our ability to cope.

Exercise

This is so important not only for our physical health but also for our mental well-being. When we are stressed, particularly over a long period of time, our bodies overproduce a stress hormone called cortisol. When we have a high level of this in our system over a prolonged period it can make us feel even more stressed and less able to cope. When we exercise our body releases our “feel good chemicals” such as dopamine which help reduce the level of cortisol in our bodies. Sometimes we cannot change what is causing us stress (such as the pandemic) but that does not mean that we cannot do things that will help us cope better with the challenge. Getting out in nature where possible for exercise is also hugely beneficial as it’s good for the body, mind and soul.

Limit social media use

Most of us are tuned in to media or news quite a lot at present and can easily become obsessed with checking. Try to limit your news up-date to 20mins per day as while it is important to stay informed it is also important not to overwhelm yourself. Also, stick to trustworthy sources such as; national news media (RTÉ or Virgin Media news bulletins and The Irish Times or Independent) or the HSE, hse.ie and World Health Organization. By setting limits on how much information you take in can help reduce anxiety: stay informed but not overwhelmed.

Daily routine

Think about your daily routine. Try to engage in useful activities such as cooking, cleaning, exercise or meaningful activities such as reading or calling a friend. Do things you enjoy and there are lots of free tutorials and courses online.

If you are working or attending college from home at present it can be useful to think about how best to set up a healthy routine around this. For example, ensure you get dressed every day, have a designated work space if possible, have clearly defined working hours and if you usually commute to college or work use this time now to exercise, listen to music or read.

Connect with others

While we have all been asked to physically distance and restrict our movements we have not been asked to psychologically distance. Staying connected with loved ones and friends is hugely important to our overall physical and mental well-being. Find safe ways of connecting for example there are many ways in which we can still have face-to-face conversations with loved ones and friends on Zoom, whats app etc. If you have a loved one in your life that you feel may be struggling reach out to them. Sometimes sharing how you feeling can be hugely helpful to another person who may be feeling the exact same way but fearful of saying it.

Focus on things you can control

Relinquishing our desire for certainty and control is difficult however realizing that there are things we can control during this pandemic is really important such as following all the recommendations from our health authority, ensuring we stay 2 meters distance from people, wearing a face mask, washing our hands regularly, avoiding touching our face and having good cough hygiene are all things that will help us keep safe.

Alcohol intake

During this pandemic, we have seen people’s alcohol intake increase. This is really worrying as alcohol is a depressant and if we are already stressed or experiencing low mood or anxiety, alcohol can significantly turn up the volume further on these feelings. Limiting your alcohol intake at this time can be really useful in helping to manage your ability to cope.

Pieta provides free 24-hour support to people in suicidal distress and those who engage in self-harm. If you are in distress and need help you can reach Pieta by:

Freephone 1800 247 247 to speak to a therapist if you are in a crisis
Call 0818 111 126 to make an appointment with a therapist
Text HELP to 51444

Tips From Pieta On How To Look After Your Mental Health During This Time