How To Improve Mental And Emotional Health In Times Of Crisis?

Many people underestimate the importance of mental and emotional health in our daily lives. But the truth is that both are essential to enjoy a healthy and full life.

The pandemic that has arisen as a result of the Coronavirus has forced us to rethink the importance of maintaining emotional and psychological stability to overcome times of crisis.

With this in mind and to help promote stronger mental and emotional health, here are some facts and information that can be of great help.

What is mental and emotional health?

Mental and emotional health is based on the way we react and feel to certain situations and actions that affect the way we interact with others around us.

When our emotional health is affected, it can significantly alter the way we sleep, eat, and even our physical performance.

It has always been said that to have a healthy lifestyle it is necessary to reach a state of harmony between the body and the mind. However, in recent years this has taken on greater presence and importance in the population.

Thus, stress, anxiety, and negative emotions can turn out to be something harmful to a person.

Studies reveal that these sensations are the initial trigger for more clinically serious diseases, such as smoking and obesity.

A person’s perception of themselves and their surroundings has a lot to do with their lifestyle, their body’s health, and even their social skills.

It should not surprise us that a situation such as a pandemic has affected the emotional well-being of thousands of people.

The importance of having stable and strengthened mental health

We should never underestimate our emotions and thoughts, as they have a much greater influence on our daily lives than most people think.

Good mental and emotional health is a great help in dealing with everyday problems. Being in complete control of our emotions and thoughts can make a difference in our lifestyle.

Firstly, people who have a good emotional and psychological balance are noticeably much more efficient when it comes to resolving any contingency, and they are also less affected by them.

A clear and anxiety-free mind is the best tool we can have because it helps us to be more efficient in our work and gives us the possibility of managing our time better.

Another aspect in which the good emotional and mental health of an individual comes to light is during the periods established for rest.

Sleeping is more than just lying in bed, as the body must enter a state of complete rest to ensure a good rest.

A direct consequence of a good rest is that we feel much more energized and that the mind is more receptive when it comes to processing and managing new information.

It has also been proven that a more psychologically and emotionally stable person has a much healthier body. The immune system, metabolic activity, and even our sexual appetite improve considerably when we learn to control our emotions.

Finally, we can mention the part of development and social abilities of people. Thus, stable mental and emotional health also helps us improve our ability to relate and live with other people.

The ravages of the pandemic: a constant crisis

The Coronavirus pandemic has become a true epidemiological phenomenon that has forced us to change many aspects of our daily lives to avoid becoming infected with this virus.

It was inevitable that so many changes in our lifestyle and the constant bombardment of information from different communication channels, platforms, and social networks would end up altering us psychologically and emotionally.

Having to remain confined in an enclosed space and limiting contact with loved ones are two aspects that can easily increase stress and anxiety levels in anyone.

However, maintaining our mental and emotional health in these conditions should not be considered an impossible task. It is enough to organize some key aspects of our daily lives and manage time more efficiently.

Thus, to face such a challenging situation, it is necessary to begin to cultivate certain habits in ourselves that help us to remain calm and not fall into a state of collective disturbance.

Resilience: a way to survive

Resilience is the ability a person has to overcome difficult or even traumatic circumstances, such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job.

In times when human contact is so restricted and living conditions are becoming increasingly difficult for people, resilience is just what we need to overcome calamities.

Unlike resistance, resilience is a state that involves a whole series of emotional and psychological aspects that come into play during the process. For this reason, this is a characteristic that only human beings possess.

Many psychologists consider resilience to be one of the essential characteristics of an individual who has excellent emotional health. Therefore, it is an essential skill to start a much healthier and more efficient lifestyle.

One of the great advantages of resilience is that it is a faculty that we can easily acquire and that can be worked on daily.

How can we strengthen our emotional health? 

There are a whole series of exercises and activities that can be of great help to maintain good emotional health. And the best of all is that it does not require any type of external factor, nor a trip or spiritual retreat to a faraway place.

The first thing we need to do is to start changing our approach to things a little. That is, we need to give each situation its true value, no matter how insignificant it may seem to us.

Just like when we move the furniture around in a room to give it a new look, the trick is to pay due attention to every little detail of our daily lives so that everything can maintain a certain harmony.

When it comes to our emotional and mental well-being, the first thing we need to do is calmly analyze our daily routine and find a way to incorporate the habits we mention below:

Stay active

One of the fundamental keys to enjoying good mental and emotional health is to give ourselves the time required to do some physical activity during the day.

Recent studies have shown that low-impact exercise performed daily for at least 15 minutes is ideal for keeping the brain oxygenated and regulating stress levels.

You don’t have to invest in expensive exercise equipment to stay physically active at home. Nowadays, there are many free videos and apps with exercise routines that adapt well to our experience and the space we have available at home.

Rest

Getting adequate rest is an action that brings with it quite positive consequences in everything related to our emotional, physical, and psychological health.

Individuals who are unable to achieve the hours of sleep recommended by experts tend to get sick easily and also tend to fall into depressive states more frequently.

A sleep routine of 7 to 8 hours is enough to give our mind the rest it needs to work more efficiently during the day.

Eat well

The principles for improving mental and emotional health include sleeping well, exercising, and eating well.

Food is the essential fuel for our body and just like with gasoline in a car, we need to make sure that it is made with the right ingredients and of the best quality.

So, junk food is completely out of the question at this point. If you want your mind and body to function at 100%, you need to commit to a much healthier diet, one with plenty of vegetables and plenty of water to stay well hydrated.

Strengthening social life

While this may seem like a complicated thing to do under the current conditions, we always have the consolation that we live in an era where technology allows us to stay in touch more easily and quickly than before.

Strengthening ties or even encouraging ourselves to expand our social circle is an experience that is always rewarding. It is necessary to remember that by nature, human beings are sociable creatures and, therefore, social relationships are a fundamental part of life.

Isolation or lack of social interaction can lead to dangerously high levels of anxiety and stress that will inevitably lead to illness.

Enjoy leisure time

If managed properly, free time can be quite beneficial for the mind. The key here is to know what to do when to do it, and with whom to do it.

The most effective way to use our leisure time is to use it for constructive and rewarding activities. Gardening, reading a good book, or trying to take up a new hobby are all smart ways to spend our free time.

As with everything in life, the secret is to find the perfect balance within things so that everything can flow harmoniously. When we take this to the topic of mental and emotional health, we must understand that the mind needs some time for leisure to function efficiently.

Managing thoughts

One of the best pieces of advice we can get during a pandemic is to do everything we can to prevent negative thoughts or bad news from affecting us more than necessary.

Something of vital importance to keep our mental and emotional health in good condition is to try not to overload our brains with so much information. Sometimes it is necessary to turn off the devices and give ourselves time to breathe deeply.

Many experts agree that the best way to keep stress levels under control is to avoid letting your mind idle for long periods. It is also a good idea to practice breathing exercises throughout the day to keep your brain well-oxygenated.

Expressing feelings

Maintaining good communication with our family and loved ones is a habit that has a very positive impact on our mental and emotional health.

It is impossible not to feel upset in a pandemic, but sharing our feelings openly with others is an effective therapy to keep stress and anxiety under control.

It is also always gratifying to realize that, even if other people do not share the same problems, there will always be those who want to support us and motivate us to continue forward. 

Set realistic goals

The best way to stay positive and keep our stress levels under control is to do tasks that, although they may seem small, always seem pressing.

Now that we have to spend more time indoors, it may be a good time to dedicate effort to those small projects or tasks that previously seemed irrelevant.

Cleaning out the attic, reorganizing the bookshelf, or even doing a deep cleaning of our computer are all quite rewarding activities. Completing small tasks throughout the day is a good way to keep our minds occupied and helps us feel better about ourselves.

Seek professional help

Sometimes we may feel that doing all of the above is not enough to keep our stress under control. And it is at this point that it is advisable to seek professional help.

A psychologist is a professional who is fully trained to provide us with the support we need to achieve an optimal state of mental and emotional health.

It is never a bad idea to ask for help, especially when it comes to a topic as delicate as our thoughts and emotions. Even if we just want to vent, it is advisable to see a psychologist to get a professional opinion on what is affecting us.   

Conclusion 

The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to remain in a constant state of uncertainty and anxiety. But no matter what happens around us, we can always choose what to do with our lives.

Now more than ever, it is necessary to start looking at things from other perspectives and use our ability to adapt to find ways to continue enjoying everyday life.

For some years now, many people have begun to take more seriously the influence of mental and emotional health on our daily lives. Just like our body, our mind must be in optimal condition to ensure our fulfillment.

Learning to keep our emotions and thoughts balanced is not an easy task. But if we dedicate some time to taking care of ourselves and getting the right help, everything becomes less exhausting.

Keeping our minds busy, staying in touch with our loved ones, eating well, sleeping properly, and exercising regularly are the fundamental steps to enjoying a healthier lifestyle.

All of this just shows us that health is not a matter that is limited only to the needs of the body. It is also extremely important to provide the necessary care to our minds to have complete balance and well-being.