4 Ways to Stay Mentally Healthy During Quarantine

Maintaining healthy habits during quarantine can be a struggle for many of us. And, these days, it can be even more difficult to stay mentally healthy and focused, especially with the COVOD-19 pandemic and civil unrest making headlines every day throughout the country.

But if you want to come out of quarantine with a positive outlook rather than caving under the pressure of it all, you’ll need to come up with a few ways to take better care of yourself mentally. Doing this can help you stay in good spirits through these tough times. Here are four tips for maintaining your mental health during the quarantine.

1. Stay Connected

Staying connected to your family and friends can help you realize that you’re not alone. We’re all going through this together, and it can help to unload some of that worry and stress by venting about your frustrations to someone you know and trust. Loneliness can make things worse during these times, especially since it’s associated with things like:

  • Depression
  • Substance abuse
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Poorer cognitive performance
  • Impaired self-regulation and executive control 
  • Lower levels of self-rated physical health

That’s why it’s important to stay connected to the people you love. Consider jumping on a video chat, texting, talking on the phone, messaging them on social media, or even going for a visit if possible.

2. Create a Comfortable Sleeping Space

One of the best ways to maintain your mental health during quarantine is to make sure you get a good night’s sleep. Doing so not only helps to improve your mental health, but it can also help boost productivity while in quarantine. That’s why it’s essential you create a comfortable sleeping space by making sure you have a comfortable mattress to sleep on and an atmosphere that encourages rest and relaxation. That means getting a comfortable pillow, blackout curtains and whatever else you need to relax at night before bed.

3. Get Outside and Enjoy Nature

Now that things are starting to open back up however slowly, it’s safe to get outside and enjoy nature. In fact, it’s beneficial for us. Being in nature can help with depression and anxiety, improve your focus, boost your immunity, and improve your outlook. Being outside also exposes you to more vitamin D, which is another immune system booster. You might also benefit from better sleep, a boost in creativity and better weight control. Try to get outside as much as possible during quarantine, but remember to practice social distancing when you do.

4. Try to Stay in the Moment

You can drive yourself crazy thinking about what might happen in the future and where things are headed. But practicing mindfulness by staying in the moment can make you happier and keep you calmer. It can help you see things as they are instead of how you perceive them to be. Try doing a mindfulness exercise or two each day to help you release stress and worry. You can practice mindfulness by embracing an attitude of gratitude by being thankful for all that you are and all that you have. You can also:

  • Pay attention to the full experience of walking.
  • Switch up your routine.
  • Periodically stop and smile.
  • Take a deep breath and name five things you can hear, see and feel.

There are several ways to practice mindfulness so you can stay in the moment. Practicing mindfulness can help you realize that you can only control what’s going on right here and right now.

Finding Ways to Stay Positive

Taking care of your mental health is more important now than ever. Going through something you never experienced on a scale so grand can be traumatic. That’s why you have to do what you can to stay positive and remain in good spirits, which might mean staying connected to people you love, making sure you’re getting enough sleep, doing your best to stay in the moment, or getting outside to enjoy nature. Do whatever you can to keep a healthy, optimistic attitude.