As we move beyond the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 outbreak here in the United States, Americans are filled with mixed emotions. You may feel relieved that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel as the vaccine is being distributed across the country to healthcare and frontline workers, military personnel, and seniors. No matter how you are feeling, it’s important to let go of the things that you cannot change and focus on the things that you can.
Here are a list of tips to help improve your health and wellbeing this Spring to stay mentally strong:
- Get your vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an important role in mood regulation and can help reduce depression symptoms. Plus, Vitamin D inhibits cancer cell growth, regulates your immune system, can reduce blood pressure, and the effects of Vitamin D helps lower the risk of falling for seniors. If you are not able to get at least 10 minutes of sun exposure each day, consider investing in full-spectrum lights. Turn these on each morning before sunrise for at least 10 minutes through the end of Spring. Another way to hit your recommended Vitamin D intake is to take a multivitamin with Vitamin D.
- Eat healthy and drink lots of water. While eating healthy and staying hydrated are always important, maintaining a healthy diet is especially important when the weather is changing and you are experiencing high levels of stress.
Many people crave comfort foods when it’s cold outside, which often leads to eating more calories. Consider substituting soup with vegetables and lean proteins for a healthy alternative that will still give you the warm and cozy feeling you crave, while giving you the variety of nutrients you need to fight off viruses.
Did you know that fish is a great source of Vitamin D, B2, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids? The American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice a week.
- Keep a consistent schedule. Throughout COVID-19 everyone’s schedules have been thrown off in some way. Whether you now find yourself isolated, or you are trying to manage having the entire family home all day and night, you have seen significant disruptions to your daily routine. The best way to minimize the impact on your health is to establish a consistent routine in any way that you can. Here are a few specific suggestions on how to build a consistent routine in a constantly changing world:
- Get enough sleep each night by sticking with a consistent bedtime and by limiting screen time at least 30 minutes before bed. After getting ready for bed, turn your phone on silent and pick up your favorite book to unwind.
- Schedule a specific time each day for physical activity. Many gyms are now offering ‘live’ virtual fitness classes which are a great way to keep yourself accountable. By maintaining a consistent fitness routine, you will be able to more easily maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
- Keep a to do list each day. This is a key tool for simultaneously completing mundane or major tasks AND moving those to-dos out of your head and onto a manageable list so that they don’t dominate your thoughts when you are resting.
- Carve out time set ‘accomplishment’ time each day to focus on self care. This is a unique time to do things you thought you’d never have time for, so cherish and protect the time and use it wisely. Invent a new board game with your kids, train for a 5K, study a new language, invest in home improvement, get creative (crafting, wood working, baking, painting, pottery, knitting are a few great options). The feeling of accomplishment will help boost your mood.
- Stay connected. Continue to connect with friends and family through phone calls, video chats, and virtual events. Get creative and host a pictionary game night on Zoom using the whiteboard feature. You don’t need to be in the same room to connect with others! The warmer weather allows for small, safe gatherings outdoors. Grab a coffee with a friend and take a walk around a park or hiking trail. Be sure to maintain 6 feet apart and wear your mask.
While some people are starting to get the vaccine, it will be several months before the general population will be vaccinated. We still have a long road ahead of us. That’s why it’s so important that we continue to focus on our mental health.
Even after you get the vaccine, you will need to continue to wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, and maintain social distance to prevent spreading the virus to others. This will be important to keep our entire community safe. Continue to follow the latest guidance shared by the CDC and our local public health officials as we are still learning more about the virus and the vaccine.
We are in this together!
Stephen Manlove, MD is one of the most entrepreneurial psychiatrists in the upper Midwest. Dr. Manlove graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed residencies in Psychiatry and Internal Medicine through the University of Virginia Medical School. He holds multiple board certifications in psychiatry/neurology, internal medicine and forensic psychiatry. This deep understanding of medicine gives him a unique ability to practice truly holistic psychiatry—fusing lifestyle changes and brain health best practices with genetic testing and a detailed laboratory workup to develop a personalized plan for each patient. As an early adopter of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and ketamine/Spravato, he and the Manlove Brain + Body team have helped thousands of patients suffering from treatment resistant depression, anxiety and PTSD.
