Maintaining Mental Health During Shelter In Place
With the current shelter in place order, my mental health has taken a swift nose dive towards rock bottom depressed. Thing is, I know I’m not the only one. So here’s a list of some of the things I’ve been doing to try and maintain my mental health.
Get Dressed
If I only do one thing in a day to help my mental health, it’s getting dressed. For me, getting out of my PJ’s and into my “ready to take on the day” wear helps get me motivated to start my day. Wearing my PJ’s all day is, in my mind, an affirmation that I am allowed get back in bed whenever I want and that is the number one thing I try to avoid (more on that below). Plus, putting on my favorite dress, even with no place to go, makes me feel good about myself. After I get dressed, I give myself a quick “way to go Chelsea” to remind myself that I’m doing the best I can.
Stay Out Of Bed
In general, your bed should be for sleep and sex only. It’s a great rule for sleep hygiene as well as keeping your regular sleep schedule in tact. For me, sleeping all day and staying up all night is a one way ticket to depressed. Thus, I avoid naps and lounging in bed with all my might. When I feel myself wandering back towards my bed, here are a few things I do (bonus points if you do them outside):
- stretch and/or yoga
- go for a walk
- read
- call a friend
- make a cup of tea or coffee
- listen to music (my go to is upbeat music)
- sing (or whatever your favorite hobby may be)
Sit Outside
As mentioned above, it takes every ounce of mental strength to keep myself out of bed, especially when I start wondering what to do next. So when I find myself drifting towards getting back in bed I grab a chair and park my ass outside in the driveway. In fact, I do almost everything I can outside. Netflix, read, stretch, text/video chat, eat, everything.
Here’s the thing, sunlight, when absorbed through the skin, allows your body to produce Vitamin D which helps with serotonin production. In the simplest terms, the serotonin system helps improve mood and motivation. So, grab your headphones, sit outside, take some deep breaths, and listen to some feel good music while stimulating that serotonin system.
Create a Morning Routine
In honor of continuing the stay out of bed trend, make a morning routine. Then write it down and stick it on your fridge. I find it gives me enough momentum to at least get me through the morning and early afternoon, and if I’m lucky, the rest of my day. Here’s what mine looks like:
1.) Get dressed
2.) Walk the dog
3.) Eat breakfast
4.) Wash face/brush teeth
5.) Stretch/yoga
Limit Pandemic Related News Consumption
These days the news about COVID 19 is not changing that much where we have to be constantly informing ourselves. Set a healthy boundary and limit the number of times a day as well as the duration of time you check the news. I have two news outlets I check in the morning (KQED and NPR), I don’t stray from these websites, and only read for 30 minutes, once a day. I’m sure a lot of us are receiving several coronavirus related emails so if able, check your email once a day. If you have to check your email more than once a day, set a boundary with those who are sending coronavirus emails and ask them to kindly refrain or simply delete them.
Therapy
I was able to find a therapist who will do phone chats once a week through my insurance. Finding a therapist can be a daunting task but I tell ya, it’s worth it. If you are finding it hard to follow through, ask someone close to you for help! Whether they help you with accountability or in the search itself, sometimes a little push from someone you love is all it takes to get the ball rolling. When I look for a new therapist, I write down exactly what I’m going to say when leaving a message. For some reason it makes the process feel much less scary. I’ve also heard great things about apps like Open Path and Better Help.
Practice Gratitude
Doesn’t matter if it’s gratitude for your favorite pencil or for the sunny weather, actively think about what you are grateful for. I have a reminder note at my kitchen sink that reads, “Name 5 things you are grateful for.” Every time I do the dishes I think of at least 5 things and I swear I notice a difference in my mood. When I’m ruminating about the past or fearing the uncertain future, thinking about things I’m grateful for is an easy way for me to break the cycle of those toxic thinking patterns.
Be Kind to Yourself
Some folks are baking bread, exercising more, learning new languages, and that’s great. Some folks are getting out of bed in the morning and that’s great too! It’s not a competition. Don’t dwell on guilt about what you’re not doing, acknowledge and love yourself for the things you are doing, big or small. We are in scary, unprecedented, and uncertain times so it’s vital to remember that You. Are. Enough. No matter what and how much you are doing, YOU ARE ENOUGH.
*Main photo is of so-called Mount Ritter, off the Nüümü Poyo (John Muir Trail), accessed most easily via Agnew Meadows trailhead or Silver Lake Resort
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