Are you suffering from increased anxiety over COVID-19?
As the country is grinding to a halt, we are all feeling an increase in stress and anxiety levels. This can negatively impact our body’s immune response to viruses and bacteria. Most people are finding themselves with an increased amount of time spent at home. We have compiled a list of scientifically proven stress relievers.
Many of us are finding the prospect of another month of quarantine to be extremely daunting. It need not be. Try a few of our suggestions below to maintain a stress-free, balanced life at home.
Take an Online Class
Exercise is a great way to beat anxiety and depression with numerous studies showing that you can increase your body’s natural defense by moving! Yoga and meditation have also been shown to be key ways of fighting anxiety and depression and ensuring a better night’s sleep. Get out and take a walk. Go for a bike ride. Do yoga or tai chi in your living room. YouTube is a wonderful resource for free online classes to learn a new way to beat stress. We love the free online classes at Yoga Download’s website.
Eat Healthy & Balanced Meals
I know that this one should be a given but oftentimes during times of high stress and anxiety, it is easy to reach for comfort foods. Often these foods are not our best choice when trying to boost the immune system and they can actually be counter productive. Try to start your day with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast. Lean towards incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables during the day. At night opt for a healthy choice of protein and lots of green leafy vegetables and healthy starches like sweet potatoes or spiced quinoa.
Up Your Healthy Supplement Intake – Particularly Vitamin C.
We are hearing more and more on the news about the importance of Vitamin C and its role in boosting our immune system. While it is possible to get a lot of your daily intake from fruits and vegetables such as Cantaloupe, Kiwi Fruit, Mango, Papaya and Pineapple we would also suggest supplementing with Liposomal Vitamin C. Its quite easy to make and it is an amazing, readily absorbed by the body. Vitamin A & D are also extremely important to the body when boosting our immune system.
Take a Good CBD Tincture
This supplement has been shown to decrease stress levels and increase your natural sleep patterns. A study undertaken by Permanente Journal in January 2019 showed that anxiety level scores decreased within the first month in 79.2% patients and remained decreased during the study duration (3 months). A good resource for purchasing high-quality tinctures is Hempstrax High CBD 5,000mg Tincture. Data from a review published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research in 2020 overwhelmingly support the concept that CBD is immunosuppressive (supports the immune system).
Skip Netflix and Read a Book
Whether it is reading about a topic you always wished you knew more about or delving into a mystery novel it will definitely pass the quarantine hours and leave your soul feeling renewed rather than depleted. There is a wealth of free resources for downloading popular books online. We recommend The Big Library. Our variety of CBD teas pair especially with a good book for relaxing.
Play a Game Solo or With Family
There are many wonderful resources for playing games online. You could schedule a zoom and wine date with friends to play online Yahtzee. Download and print the scorecard and download the dice scrambler and you are all set. There are multiple free apps for playing online games from scrabble to bridge. If it is not possible to get together with friends because of COVID-19 it is super important to schedule the time to talk and connect. If you have kids at home it is equally important to get together after meals for some family time. Playing cards, monopoly, or any other game you have at home is a great way to interact and have fun.
Be Creative
Using the left hemisphere of the brain has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. Whether it is making a vision board, drawing, painting, or starting a fun art project around the house you will definitely find this activity therapeutic. Good Housekeeping is a great resource for home-based DIY for kids and adults. Want to get the creative juices flowing? Try this amazing flower to help stimulate your creative vision.
Get a Good Nights Sleep
It is very important for the body to rest and repair. Adding stress and anxiety can often impair our body’s ability to get a restful night’s sleep. Exercising and stretching have been shown to aid the body in sleeping. Meditation or reading right before bed are two helpful ways to drift off to sleep. The use of handheld devices and TV are detrimental to triggering the brain to rest. If all else fails a good supplement can help you get to sleep and sleep through the night. We recommend the following Sleep Supplement by Hempstrax.
Staying busy and occupied will help you pass the days with less anxiety. Keeping active and healthy are our first defenses against COVID-19. Creating a schedule each day and adhering to that schedule is super important. Even if you are just scheduling time to go for a walk each morning, before starting work from home or household chores, it is good to adhere to a schedule so that the day does not pass you by without doing something beneficial for yourself.
