Combating Stress
Stress is a very relatable feeling however it affects us all in different ways.
In light of what we are all going through as a nation regarding COVID-19, we thought it would be a good time to re-issue this article with a few specific tips for coping in the current climate:
Things you can do to support yourself:
Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep.
Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
Connect with others. Talk with people you trust using Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp or simply by phone about your concerns and how you are feeling.
For parents
Children and teens react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and care givers deal with the reality of COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.
Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include:
- Excessive crying or irritation in younger children
- Returning to behaviours they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bed-wetting)
- Excessive worry or sadness
- Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits
- Irritability and “acting up” behaviours in teens
- Poor home-working or avoiding home-working all together
- Difficulty with attention and concentration
- Avoidance of simple activities enjoyed in the past
- Unexplained headaches or body pain
There are many things you can do to support your child
Take time to talk with your child or teen about COVID-19. Answer questions and share facts about COVID-19 in a way that your child or teen can understand.
Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Let them know it is ok if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you.
Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand.
Try to keep up with regular routines. With schools closed, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities at home.
Be a role model. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members.
A few Tips from our Team
We asked our spa & wellness team for their recommendations on how to introduce some self-care, here’s what they had to say:
- Take 90 minutes out of your day to recharge your batteries. From reading a good book, watching a film or going for your daily exercise. It all helps.
- Get active! Exercise won’t make your stress disappear, but it will reduce some of the emotional intensity that you’re feeling. Try Yoga for feelings of zen or an energetic Zumba class online to occupy your mind.
- Connect with people. A study conducted at Harvard called Very Happy People, showed that there was a 0.7 correlation between social support and happiness, which is higher than the connection between smoking and cancer. Make more time to connect with people virtually, especially your loved ones. There is no better time than now to catch up with old friends. Make that call.
- Create daily rituals or a routine that includes things that make you feel your best. We like to recommend our energising body oil to clients, a revitalising and zesty body oil to awaken the senses. The perfect product to add to your morning routine. Stick to your routine. Get up, have a shower, and get dressed as if you were going to work. It sets the right tone for the day regardless of what you end up doing.
- Schedule in meditation and take control. The act of taking control in itself is empowering and therefore a great way to relieve overwhelming feelings of pressure or stress. Meditation is a technique in which you are aiming for mindfulness, “knowing directly what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment” (Professor Mark Williams, former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre). By aiming for this state of mind, you will learn to be in the present moment, helping to understand yourself better and prevent feelings of worry over things you cannot control.
Although stress isn’t a medical diagnosis and there is not specific treatment for it, if you are experiencing lots of signs of stress, there are treatments that could help. We recommend heading to MIND, a mental health charity website for any further information: