Pandemic Wellness
Pandemic wellness – if you think that sounds like an oxymoron, we don’t blame you!
It’s difficult to assess our stress levels over the last year. Many of us have gone on autopilot and just done whatever is necessary to keep ourselves and our families safe. We’re all doing our best in our jobs and adjusting to the new normal. Just trying to get through the day-to-day can make it difficult to think about our wellness and check-in with ourselves the way we might with a family member.
Let’s talk about some easy ways we can focus on our wellness and give ourselves a chance to take a breath and reboot.
The following information from the CDC is a great way to measure how stress is affecting us mentally and physically, as well as some action steps we can take to take better care of ourselves:
Stress can cause the following:
- Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
- Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
- Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
- Worsening of chronic health problems
- Worsening of mental health conditions
- Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances
It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are ways that you can help yourself, others, and your community manage stress.
Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but hearing about the pandemic constantly can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from phone, tv, and computer screens for a while.
- Take care of your body.
- Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
- Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
- Exercise regularly.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Avoid excessive alcohol, tobacco, and substance use.
- Continue with routine preventive measures (such as vaccinations, cancer screenings, etc.) as recommended by your healthcare provider.
- Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
- Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
- Connect with your community- or faith-based organizations. While social distancing measures are in place, try connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.
Get Started: Call Physician’s Weight Control and Wellness
If you’re feeling ready to make a change to your health and overall lifestyle, give us a call.
Physician’s Weight Control & Wellness’s programs are different from other weight loss programs in that they are specifically constructed by bariatric specialists to meet each patient’s individual needs based on their body chemistry, lifestyle, and weight loss goals.
We believe in making healthy, lifelong changes to your daily eating and exercise routine combined with more than 50 years of proven weight loss experience! At Physician’s Weight Control & Wellness, we are here for you every step of the way.
