Category: Relaxation and Destressing Techniques

Today it is an acceptable practice that both partners are working and contributing to the financial needs of the family. Take for example Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, Bill and Melinda Gates and  Jay Z and Beyonce just to name a few. If you combine their total assets, they are worth billions of dollars and their success stories will inspire anyone to follow their steps as power couples. Now I am not saying that these personalities deserve to be successful because they are celebrities and famous. There are also, or not-so-famous-couples who are into this kind of arrangement – both are working, having strong positions in their career and holds high functioning roles. They may have different interests or the same work fields, one thing that they have in common is to work hard to make their relationship work, and that includes establishing harmony in the home and aiming for relationship goals that always focus on building each other and nourishing their relationship further.

Is This Even For Real?

You might say – Nah! You are dreaming man! This can’t be happening in the real world. I might agree with this because being a power couple entails a lot of personality clash and the demands are off the roof. The stress that one faces if you are a power couple is tripled compared to an ordinary couple. According to Mary K. Tatum, LMHC, “Stress is variable and affects everyone differently.” So how do they achieve this status?

According to clinical psychologist Dr. Kate Hurley, PsyD, “In most instances, couple’s therapy really works to improve both individual’s bond with each other, sense of connection and relationship satisfaction.” From a couples counseling, a list of why power couples succeed are highlighted and let’s try to extrapolate on these tips.

Make Time For Each Other

Alright, you might be asking how can this even be happening given their schedules. That’s precisely the point. These couples are ingrained to have a hectic day with all the meetings, appearances, parties, and other vital events, still, they can find time to be together. This entails effort, commitment, and determination. Being with each other’s’ company and do things on your fuel up your relationship. This is also one way to show to your partner that he or she is more important in the world. If you can say No to an appointment or a person just to be with your loved one, then you are doing it right.

Helping Others As Part Of Their Mission

The spirituality vibe behind this act somehow contributes to the positivity of the ongoing relationship. Imagine this – if you dwell more time on gambling or drugs, the outcome you will receive is probably not that of a happy ending. The power couples that I mentioned here have their respective foundations or charities where they serve and work on to make other lives better. Helping others is a genuine act of kindness, and this goodness that you are showing is considered good karma.

Listen And Empathize

One recommendation during couples counseling is to listen to your partner and putting yourself in his or present situation. Trying to understand what they are undergoing at the current time means a lot already. Never judge, comment, ridicule. Just listen and make sure that you do this attentively. A mere greeting of “How’s your day?” can brighten up one’s mood and give that feeling that you matter. According to Geoffrey Steinberg, PsyD, “Couples come to therapy to deepen their connection and strengthen their relationship. They want to have a deeper connection with their partner, and that means confronting issues that may arise that have nothing to do with breaking up.”

As you can read from this article, it will not take a rocket scientist to figure out how easy it can be to maintain a healthy relationship even if you are working. All it takes is communication, time for each other, and commitment. Check out BetterHelp and you will be directed to more information pertaining to couples counseling and how it can benefit your relationship.

 

With tons of issues and uncertainties in the world, everyone is bound to feel stressed and anxious to some extent. But the question is—how are you coping with stress and anxiety? 

Stress and anxiety are a natural part of the human experience. These responses are there to protect us from potentially harmful situations. In most cases, however, our bodies’ survival response isn’t proportional to the threat at hand. In other words, we end up too stressed and too anxious. To help manage stress and anxiety levels, you can rely on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) counseling.

MBCT is a type of psychological therapy that combines principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness strategies. In MBCT, you can learn how to recognize and understand your own cognitive and emotional patterns. Once you’ve done this, you could then move forward to developing healthier patterns to help manage stress and anxiety. 

MBCT was initially designed to prevent relapses in people with major depressive disorder (MDD). Since its conception, it has also been proven effective in treating other psychological disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and addiction.  

So how exactly does MBCT counseling work, and how can this type of counseling help you? This article explains a little bit about what is taught during MBCT sessions. Even if you’re not diagnosed with a psychological disorder, you might find the MBCT strategies in this article helpful. Read on if you want to learn how to cope better with stress and anxiety!

How MBCT Works 

What comes to mind when you hear the word “mindfulness”? Do you think of yoga or meditation? While these practices do involve mindfulness, it is more than just that. Through MBCT, mindfulness is used for your mental health. Positive organizational psychologist Courtney Ackerman lays out five (5) points on how MBCT utilizes mindfulness benefits in improving mental health: 

1. The clients will be able to discover their thought and mood patterns. 
2. The clients will learn how to be present and appreciative of life’s small pleasures.
3. The clients will learn how to prevent or stop a downward spiral from a bad mood or memories. 
4. The clients will be able to “shift gears” from their present judgmental state of mind to a more aware and balanced one. 
5. The clients will be able to access other approaches for dealing with difficult emotions and moods. 

These goals are then applied to the three MBCT course components:

1. In-person sessions. An MBCT course usually includes 2-hour weekly sessions for eight consecutive weeks. During these sessions, you will do formal and informal meditation practices, discussed more specifically in the following section. The practices progress from paying attention to holding mindful awareness of mental events. 
2. Homework. Aside from the in-person sessions, MBCT courses also have homework as a central element. MBCT clients are encouraged to spend around 45 minutes every day practicing the mindfulness activities that they learned. Some of these activities use video or audio guides.
3. Psychoeducation and cognitive therapy. MBCT educates the client about their psychological state and tendencies. This psychoeducation is then coupled with mindful action plans that would help prevent relapses or unwanted thoughts. Mindful actions include listening to music or taking a walk in the park.

MBCT Exercises And Practices 

Did you know that you can practice mindfulness while doing everyday tasks like bathing, eating, or brushing your teeth? 

While it sounds easy, mindfulness takes some practice. In MBCT, you’ll be taught various mindfulness techniques that you can use to cope with stress and anxiety. By regularly doing these practices, mindfulness becomes a part of your lifestyle, and coping with stress and anxiety becomes more automatic. Here are some of the most commonly used MBCT exercises and practices:

1. Three-Minute Breathing Space. A lot of people think that mindfulness practices are long and boring. However, you can do short practices multiple times within your day. The three-minute breathing space is an example of these practices. It has three steps:
   • During the first minute, ask yourself, “How am I doing right now?” Try to pay attention to arising feelings, thoughts, and sensations and label these. 
   • During the second minute, be mindful of your breathing. 
   • At the last minute, expand your attention from your breath to the physical sensations you feel in your entire body.
2. Body Scan. The body scan practice is for bringing awareness to the sensations felt across the body. In this practice, the counselor guides you by bringing awareness to the breath before bringing attention to each part of your body.
3. Daily Mindfulness. As mentioned earlier, you can practice mindfulness even while doing simple tasks. Here are some examples of how you can incorporate mindfulness into your life:

• • Mindful showering: We are all prone to mindlessly showering as we’re often preoccupied with “shower thoughts.” To practice mindful showering, you can direct your attention to your senses—feeling the temperature of the water, the intensity of the spray, the smell of shampoo, etc. If your mind begins to wander, gently bring your attention back to your senses.   
  • Mindful eating: One of the most helpful tips for mindful eating is to put away or turn off your phone or the TV. Aside from the taste of the food, you could also be mindful of the food’s visual appearance, smell, texture, and even sound. 

• • Mindful teeth-brushing: Another task that we often do mindlessly is brushing our teeth. To be more mindful in this activity, try focusing on your senses—the feel or sound of your toothbrush’s bristles, the smell of the toothpaste, or the sting of your mouthwash. One tip to make mindfulness easier in this task is to brush your teeth using your non-dominant hand. Doing this would require a more deliberate effort and, therefore, more attention. 

These practices, among many others, will help in calming your nerves and relaxing you. They will also allow you to be in a better headspace to reframe your worries and anxieties. Hopefully, you can apply these practices in coping with stress and anxiety. 

Remember that stress and anxiety are natural, and we can never completely get rid of them. With the right tools and healthy practices, we can manage stress and anxiety and live our best lives. 

Every job out there entails a certain amount of stress. Stress is even more prominent in these trying times. Nowadays, a lot of people have shifted to working from home. While this setup has ensured safety from the COVID-19 virus, it may cause stress and anxiety. People may experience burnout and restlessness from the prolonged work-from-home situation. Due to a lack of social interaction, workers may feel isolated from their friends, workmates, and family. 

Stress management is different for many people. For workers, it may be taking a vacation or exploring new activities. It can also be through social gatherings with friends. However, the pandemic has made these options an impossibility for many people around the world. A lot of people may feel that they do not have many options to de-stress. You may feel like there’s nothing for you to do to manage your stress. If you work from home and are feeling lost, an option to explore is counseling. 

Stress counseling for work will help you analyze the root cause of your work-related stress. Through this, you’ll be able to identify the reasons for your stress properly. This will also help you find ways on how you can manage and reduce it. The following are some ways how counseling can help you de-stress from work:

• Realize The Importance Of Work-Life Balance

Since employees are now at home most of the time, it can be difficult to set strict schedules. You may feel pressured to work beyond your hours. Since you are just at home, you might think extending work for a few hours will not be a problem. Working for small amounts of extended time may work for you right now. However, these minutes accumulate, and soon it can be more difficult to manage the extra time you put in. This will be disruptive to a good work-life balance.

You should separate your work and personal time. Personal time should be a recharge period for yourself. Your counselor may suggest trying out time blocking. This method lets you allot a portion of your time to disconnect from any work-related things. You can do this during your daily lunch breaks. Another option is strictly turning off your work platforms after your shift. Don’t feel pressured to be available 24 hours for anyone. It’s helpful to steer clear from the digital world from time to time.

Your therapist may also talk you into developing a post-work routine. Having a ritual after work can help you let go of the work stress you accumulated. It can help reset your mind after a long day of work. Some activities you can include in your routine are cooking, cleaning, and working out. Remember that you are the one who has control over your own time. Making time for activities that matter can help restore your work-life balance.

• Resolve Your Productivity Issues

When you feel stressed, you may lack the drive to be productive. Your concentration at work may be affected, too. Keep in mind that stress does not just have a headache. It can also affect your motivation. When you lack productivity, you may resort to absence. It’s healthy to take time off from time to time. However, simply taking vacation leaves may not solve the actual problem.

A good recommendation to regain your focus is to be physically active. Your physical health is directly linked to your mental health. If you work from home, you may be seated in front of your computer all day. This can cause back pain and bad posture. Your counselor may recommend that you try out a myriad of physical activities. When you find a physical activity that works for you, it’s best to keep up with the routine. Being active can help reduce stress and help make you feel good.

Your therapist may also suggest that you celebrate your little wins. Try to reward yourself for accomplishing tasks. Instead of jumping straight to another thing, you can take a little breather. You can talk to your workmates, take a quick walk outside or play a quick game. Whatever reward you give yourself, as long as it makes you smile, it will work. Doing this regularly will help reduce the pressure you feel at work. Easing this pressure can help reset your mind and regain your productivity.

• Learn Coping Techniques That Will Work For You

If you feel like you cannot take control of your life, don’t rush yourself. Remember that not all problems are not resolved overnight. The same applies to the benefits of counseling. Don’t expect that you will feel completely refreshed after one session. You may need to undergo several meetings to be able to keep track of your progress. Slow but consistent progress is always better than a one-day relief.

Your therapist may ask you to keep a record of your daily life. It can include monitoring things like your emotions, your hours of sleep, and what you eat. During your sessions, you and your counselor might review this record and help identify whether you live healthily. If you are not, your counselor will try to find out what causes this and how you can improve. Sometimes stress can make you overeat or resort to alcohol. You’ll be able to develop healthy habits by keeping a record and eliminating bad habits. You should be able to effectively manage and reduce your stress if you stick to your healthy habits.

People cope with stress differently. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t figure it out the first time. Your counselor will be with you for every high and low. Like all things in life, good things take time. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself to resolve everything by yourself. When you attend counseling, you are not alone with your problems anymore. Don’t be afraid to seek help.

In Conclusion

Counseling is not just for people with mental health disorders. When you feel stressed from work, your thoughts tend to be all mixed up. It cannot be easy to organize these by yourself. Enlisting professional help from a counselor may be the best solution for you. Seeking professional help for managing stress is not an embarrassing thing. Don’t be afraid to explore options that will help manage and reduce your stress.

There are quite several things that I do to reduce my stress and anxiety somehow. Sometimes, I am spending time watching movies, and that works fine with me. I am also playing music with my piano from time to time, and it allows me to take away my thoughts from negativity. I also work on organizing and decorating things around the house, which helps me manage my mental health issue. However, lately, these favorite solutions I have once effective are losing their power in handling my anxiety condition. Unfortunately, these things are not working anymore.

And because I merely want to stay emotionally and mentally healthy, I didn’t allow myself to fall deep into the pit of anxiety. I searched for solutions that I can try, and so far, I have discovered a new treatment I genuinely seemed to love. That is aromatherapy using essential oils. If you haven’t heard of it or not, in any case, tried it once, allow me to introduce it to you by giving you some information about the anxiety benefits of essential oils.

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What are essential oils that are good for anxiety and panic attacks?

Favorite essential oils that are great for alleviating panic and anxiety attacks include valerian, jasmine, lavender, bergamot, sweet basil, and chamomile.

Can essential oils help with anxiety?

Many people claim that aromatherapy using specific essential oils can help promote stress relief, anxiety, and relaxation. But most of the emerging pieces of evidence that support these claims come from studies done on animals.

Where do you put essential oils for anxiety?

The body’s main parts where you can apply essential oils and begin the healing process include your chest, feet, temples (which is the most common location), and stomach.

How can I stop anxiety and panic attacks naturally?

If you want to stop panic attacks naturally, you should consider taking time and spending some effort in avoiding or stopping drinking alcohol and coffee. If this is something you used to do, try deleting it from your life. It would also help if you can be physically active regularly. Go for a walk, ride a bike, or spent time swimming. Also, get sufficient sleep and try to get at least 8 hours of good night’s sleep a day. Try to maintain a well-balanced and healthy diet too. Focus on fruits and vegetables. Also, practice relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation and deep breathing exercises.

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What to drink to calm nerves?

Teas like green tea and lavender tea are favorite drinks for calming the nerves. Other equally effective drinks include yogurt, dark chocolate, and turmeric.

In case you want to try these natural remedies for anxiety, consult your healthcare provider for assistance. That way, they can help you further understand these drinks’ benefits and their possible side effects, especially if taken without the proper amount.

What is the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack?

A panic attack typically happens even without triggers. Its symptoms are severe and intrusive and frequently entail some sense of detachment or’ unreality.’ It connotes severe physical reactions even when there is no apparent cause or actual danger. On the other hand, anxiety is a reaction to an apparent threat or stressor. It represents a normal and often healthy emotion when at a moderate level. However, when it often gets disproportionate, it leads to a medical disorder.

What are the symptoms of an anxiety attack?

Symptoms of anxiety or panic attack include trembling, choking, shortness of breath, palpitations, sudden overpowering fear, chest pain, sweating, and nausea.

By chance you find yourself dealing with these signs and symptoms, contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not ignore these warning signs and think that these are normal manifestations of stress. Always make a one-step move when dealing with your mental health issue.

What should I do after an anxiety attack?

After an anxiety attack, stop whatever you are doing and take time to relax your body and mind. When you feel that your anxiety symptoms are gradually decreasing, start breathing slowly and intentionally. Take smooth and deep breaths also from the nose.

If you got a chance, think about taking care of yourself. It would be great to find some quiet place that you can stay and rest for a bit. It would help your mind and body get rid of unwanted symptoms, especially after an anxiety attack. If you still feel uncomfortable and somehow emotionally overwhelmed, vent out. Talk to someone about your thoughts and feelings and tell them you experienced an anxiety attack.

What happens after an anxiety attack?

Following an anxiety attack, you would most probably feel tension and fatigue in your muscles. The primary symptoms that can remain are usually cognitive and behavioral. Generalized anxiety may remain after the anxiety attack, and people frequently continue to be anxious over their lack of control.

Why do I feel sick after a panic attack?

Panic attacks can present with physical symptoms, including disorientation, irregular heartbeats, dry mouth, sweating, shaking, dizziness, and feeling sick. These symptoms are not life-threatening but are frightening.

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Takeaway

There is nothing wrong if you want to get rid of your anxiety naturally. Whether you use a self-care tip, medication, aromatherapy, etc., that is fine. As long as your goal is to emotionally and mentally get better, anything that positively affects your overall wellness is welcome. Yes, there are instances that it may or may not work, but you should not lose your senses. Always believe in the process of getting better. Stay focused and determined to achieve your improved health because no one will provide you that development.

If you find it hard to cope with anxiety and stress, always feel free to seek professional help. Allow the doctors to assist you with your medical needs. Because sometimes, self-care, medication, and essential oils are not enough. So consider talking to a specialist because they know your mental illness better.

 

My anxiety disorder has always been a pain in the ass. When I got diagnosed with mental health, I thought to myself that the world is so unfair. I don’t want to suffer from the condition, but it was too late. Before experiencing anxiety disorder symptoms, I always find the courage to stay positive despite my head’s ongoing thoughts. I can quickly get over the unwanted feelings because it was customary for all people to experience that. But when I unexpectedly encountered a different manifestation (panic attack), that was where I realized I need a diagnosis. Unfortunately, the clinical records did not cooperate much with my expectations, so I got anxiety disorder.

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With that, thoughts and feelings were mixed up. I ended up more anxious and depressed at the same time. Luckily, after a couple of months of effort, I managed to pull through. Thanks to cognitive behavioral therapy, I became more aware of my condition, needs, and goals. If you have not heard of CBT, here is some of a couple of information about it.

How does CBT help anxiety?

CBT helps anxiety by aiming to stop negative cycles and break down things that make you feel anxious, lonely, sad, and scared. It tries to cause problems more manageable. CBT can help change the negative thought patterns and emotions to help improve the way you feel.

It is an effective treatment that is widely used by a lot of therapists and psychiatrists. It can also show a huge percentage of effectiveness when partnered with medication.

 What are the advantages of cognitive-behavioral therapy?

CBT can help deal with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. It makes negative emotions less likely to have a negative impact on your life. Of course, there is the possibility of negative feelings and thoughts you associate with your problem will return. However, with skills you can acquire from CBT, it would be easier for you to control those unwanted thoughts and feelings.

 How many CBT sessions are needed for anxiety?

An individual attending regular sessions of CBT usually meets with a therapist for about 5 and 20 weekly or fortnightly sessions. Each of these sessions lasts for approximately 30 to 60 minutes. But depending on the need for the therapy sessions, patients are usually staying longer to ensure the reduction of anxiety during the session.

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 Who can benefit from CBT therapy?

Fortunately, anyone with mild or moderate mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorder may benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). And regardless of their therapy needs, either alone or in combination with other therapies, CBT can work best. It can also be utilized even without medication. CBT work at least as well for individuals with mild and moderate mental health conditions.

 What is CBT not good for?

CBT has a complicated structured nature of retreatment. Starting a session with it can stir up emotions that individuals weren’t somehow aware of. Thus, it can be unsuitable for people with learning difficulties or require more complex mental health needs. As CBT targets the emotions and anxieties, forced involvement and confrontation with feelings can cause initial periods of elevated anxiousness, leading to emotional shutdown due to uncomfortability.

 What’s the success rate of cognitive-behavioral therapy?

CBT is one of the most efficient forms of therapy treatment that most experts recommend. It helps a lot of people when it comes to coping with anxiety and depression. CBT alone is 50-75% efficient for overcoming stress and other mental health problems given only 5 – 15 modules.

 Can you use CBT on yourself?

Self-therapy can have many different definitions that support psychotherapy without the assistance or intervention of a therapist. Thus, studies found that self-directed CBT can be beneficial for anxiety or depression. But individuals need to be more cautious since the process can stir up a lot of different emotions that might become too overwhelming. That instead of helping, it might make situations worse.

 At what age does CBT work?

CBT helps kids to manage their emotions and guide them to put things in perspective. Some will be able to do that at 6 or 7 years old. However, for CBT to work on kids, they first need to understand their thought patterns to focus on how it affects emotions and behavior.

 What is an example of cognitive-behavioral therapy?

One of the best examples of cognitive behavioral therapy is learning to manage stress and anxiety. These include learning relaxation techniques such as meditation, journaling, coping self-talk, and deep breathing. CBT helps identify feared situations that are often avoided and gradually approach them through cognitive restructuring.

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 Does CBT work?

Yes. CBT is the best-proven form of psychotherapy. It is commonly known as talk-therapy. CBT alone is 50-75% effective for treating specific anxiety and depressive disorders. However, some research suggests that people who undergo CBT with medication get more efficient recovery results than CBT alone.

 Is CBT effective with children?

Yes. CBT is as much as effective as the proper medication. Though it may not be suitable for all individuals, it still proves to be an effective treatment for kids and teens experiencing anxiety and depression. It is considered a first-line treatment for children and teens with mood and anxiety disorders.

 Does childhood anxiety go away?

Severe cases of anxiety do not go away and tend to stick around for an extended period. Fortunately, most kids diagnosed with anxiety disorders can bounce back from it and eventually outgrow their mental health issues. But it will only happen when children are provided with a supportive environment and people, and they also receive appropriate medical treatment.

 How do you treat severe anxiety in children?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a talk therapy that can help anyone with their mental health problems. The process attempts to manage people’s anxiety by changing how they think, respond, and behave. But with kids, there should be extra cautious. It is vital to note that the goal is not to eliminate the mental health problem but to allow kids to control it to the best of their abilities and capabilities.

 Does my child need therapy for anxiety?

If a child seems unusually sad, irritable, or anxious for an extended period, and these negative emotions interfere with the kid’s ability to do things appropriate for his or her age, it would be best you consider taking them to a professional health expert. It is always a good idea to seek help regarding your kid’s mental and emotional health needs.

Anxiety is inevitable. But with the right treatment and therapy, it can be managed.

 

 

 

 

 

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Many of us are so busy with a gamut of activities that begin every Monday mornings, culminate on Sunday nights, and then start over again. Time passes by as we hurry to finish deadlines that are associated with taking care of the family chores, working, driving the kids to school, extending care for our parents and other relatives, and making sure we don’t miss our daily commitments. Nevertheless, we recognize that spending relaxation and recreation time with the family is the greatest means that we have to show that we love and care for our family dearly and that they are an important parcel of our lives.

 

Some families fix this issue by planning family trips together. This enables them to avoid the daily distractions and communicate by creating new memories as a family. But though this is a wonderful option, everyday habits could make a big difference to family connections than those spur-of-the-moment events. Also, customizing your everyday interactions with all family members can be a great and powerful way of interacting with them more personally.

 

Below is a list of several tips that could make spending quality and recreational time with your family modest, significant, and a part of your everyday life.

 

• Have dinner together. Make sure that you leave your work on time and postpone your overtime work for later during the evening so you can be there for dinner with your family. Eating meals together with your family will allow you to know everyone more through your casual conversations on the dining table. This is also a chance for your children to ask you the questions that they’ve meaning to ask but couldn’t because you were busy the whole day.

 

• Fix broken things. Are the locks of your bedroom door broken? Does the kitchen walls need painting? Let the kids join in when you can work on the house on your own. For parents like us, it may seem ordinary, but to children, it’s amazing to get to be a handyman for a day or the assistant plumber to dad when he fixes the sink. Fixing broken things at home together strengthens the bond with your kids and allows you more time to build meaningful conversations.

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• Drive your kids to school. Try to do this as much as you can despite your hectic schedule. Regularly driving your child to class gives you personal time to talk while you’re on the road. Make your trip to school a form of together time for you and your child.

 

• Be a role model to your teens. Being a good parent and doing well for the family and community will inspire your teen to practice volunteerism and aim to make a significant impact on the people around him. Sign up for an activity in the neighborhood or for a cause that you and your child can take part in.

 

• Know your teen’s circle of friends. Your teen is slowly exploring the social world outside of their immediate family. You won’t see as much of him in the house as he spends lots of time with their friends. Knowing who he’s with and learning about them is the best thing to do as a parent. Try to be a friend to them as well and make them feel comfortable in such a way that they – and your teen – will open up to you.

 

• Always spend time with your teen every day. Five minutes is as vital as 30 when it comes to spending time with your teenager. You could give him a hug and talk a while before he goes to his room to study, or you could simply ask him how his day was. Commit to giving quality time with our teen as much as possible – it is one of the most important things you can do to build a relationship with him during this stage of his life.

 

• Encourage your children to call their grandparents once in a while. If possible, give them a visit and let your children see how much you care for your own parents. This way, they will learn to foster kindness and generosity of their time to seniors. Besides, grandparents are always happy to get a call from their grandkids.

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• Cook together regularly. It may not be every day or every other day – it could just be on the weekends when everyone’s relaxed – it’s always nice to flock together on the counter and do some cooking. Casual talks happen in the kitchen when the kids are washing the dishes or setting the table. These are fun and relaxing times.

 

• Remember family traditions. These are what’s keeping the family and significant others closely bonded together. The older members of the family are typically more knowledgeable about family practices that have been passed through generations. Share these traditions with the young ones and make time for everyone to learn them, practice them, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

 

 

Anxiety and stress can quickly fill you up due to the uncertainties of the Coronavirus pandemic. When you don’t exert any effort in managing these mental conditions, it can take a toll on your daily function. It can make you feel weak, exhausted, and unmotivated. So before that happens, consider some of these relaxation tips that can help you look after your wellbeing during this global health crisis.

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Take A Break

Surely, you want to distract yourself from overthinking about everything that has been going on with the world lately. That is why you often choose to stay busy all the time. But doing a lot of things simultaneously can still cause emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. To avoid that, consider taking a break. Take some time away from your regular routines. Work on a couple of things that do not require too much effort.

Listen To Music

Music reduces the level of stress and anxiety. So if you want to get rid of those mental pressures, listen to some of the songs you like. Sing and dance to the tune and rhythm. Not only music will keep you in the mood, but it will also allow you to manage your unwanted emotions better. If you want a practical, relaxing effect, try putting your headphones on your ears and close your eyes. That way, you can internalize and entirely listen to music.

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Bathe

Stress can manifest not only into your mental and emotional aspects. But it can affect your physical being as well. So, try giving yourself a soothing bath to get rid of the physical pressure you might be having. Note that you need to consider the temperature your body needs and don’t just jump right into the water. Once you get a hold of that, take all the time you want and care for yourself. Use the moment to clear your thoughts and feel the relaxing moment.

Breathe

Breathing will not take a lot of your time. You will only have to spend a couple of seconds or minutes to get it done. You can do it by breathing in through your nose and breathing out through your mouth. You can count as you feel the air in your lungs. Focusing on your breathing can make you feel a lot calmer. Aside from that, it can increase your sense of wellbeing. It can help in clearing your thoughts and help you understand your emotions.

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Take A Nap

One of the best ways to relax your mind and body is through rest. Therefore, allow yourself to take a nap. Leave all the things you are doing and allow your body to rest in the most comfortable position you like. Take your mind and body to the place where there is only peace. Taking a nap will not only promise you rejuvenation, but it will also allow you an overall balance. If you can, take as much time as you need. Allow yourself to reach a calm and meditated state before drifting into sleep.

Exercise

Relaxation doesn’t have to mean sitting still in one position. Gentle exercise can be suitable for stress release as well.  With that, allow yourself to do simple physical activities such as Pilates, yoga, and stretching. If you find these too boring, you can choose to do something productive such as cleaning the house, reorganizing things, and engaging in crafts. If it is not a hassle, go outside and take a little walk going on your own pace. A few minutes of walking can significantly impact your overall mood. But, keep social distancing, of course.

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With all the stress you get from this pandemic situation, always remember to still care for yourself. BetterHelp is where you can find solace to your anxious feelings. You can never go wrong if you seek aid from BetterHelp.

Staying locked up at home for an extended period can potentially increase toxicity within mental and emotional health. That is due to the restriction an individual had to consider only to slow down the spread of the virus. And for those persons who are already suffering from a mental illness, social isolation can be tough to handle as well. It increases stress and anxiety, and also promotes a profoundly negative self-absorption.

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For other people, they are fortunate enough to practice a steady emotional and mental state. Congratulations to them for keeping a healthy self-compassion. We can assume that these people programmed their minds and bodies to adapt to the situation without a hassle. But for some individuals who sit in a desperate situation, they find it hard to stay calm. These people believe that there is no way to feel relaxed anymore. With all the negativity they see and hear every day from this Coronavirus outbreak, the assurance of getting a peaceful life seems nowhere to be found.

Everything Is Uncertain

It is hard to stay relaxed when there is the worry of this pandemic uncertainty. There is the constant thought of “what ifs”. The possibility that one of the members of the family can become infected with the virus at any time. That even if everyone in the house follows strict measures of social distancing and frequent hand washing, there is still a chance of getting infected from an unknown source.

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Aside from that, another thing that adds to the worry of people is the undiscovered cure to the virus. Yes, until now, there is no evident progress in the status of the cure for the COVID-19. People only know that medical experts are trying their best to come up with a possible vaccine that can prevent the spread of the virus. But it is not enough information to calm down everyone who is panicking and stressing over the disease.

And when people talk about results, they somehow understand that this global health crisis will not be over any time soon. That even if the majority of the people practice safety protocols, some will suddenly get tired of listening and responding. Thus, for pessimistic future calculation, the world can expect chaos. People will feel trapped and isolated that they will soon come out of their comfort zone and just won’t give a damn about everything that has been going on. Of course, the possibility of that scenario depends on the extended period of this pandemic.

If in case you are not aware, a lot of people are dying. Therefore, since death is part of all this pandemic commotion, then there is no way individuals can just sit back and relax. It will be very disappointing to die without living life to the fullest. All people are hopeful for this outbreak to end because they want to get back on their regular routines already. And since that thing seems impossible to happen as of this moment, then individuals can only try their best not to get infected.

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If in an unfortunate instance, one gets sick due to the Coronavirus infection and eventually die, it becomes devastating. That’s because the dead body of a loved one will instantly get cremated and eventually turn into ashes. Family and friends will not be allowed to be near the body, and no proper burial will be made. Understandably, that is to save the rest of other people’s lives. But can you imagine the emotional and mental torture of not being with your loved one even for the last time? It is entirely soul-crushing.

Growing up in a house with a big lawn, I came to love gardening.  I was influenced by my father who also was a fan of the greens.  And every time I am in the garden, I feel like he is just close by, hearing his words telling me that gardening indeed is the purest of all human pleasures.

 

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