Mental Health During The COVID-19 Pandemic!

In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and worried.  We may experience increased feelings of stress, anxiety, irritability or frustration. We may feel uncertainty about the future or worry about isolation amidst rapidly changing schedules and social plans. While feeling worried is normal and expected, there are several ways that you can increase your resilience, support brain chemistry, sleep quality and reduce the risk of depression.

• Pay close attention to what you say to yourself. Are you telling yourself you’re anxious? Depressed? Angry? For whatever feelings come up, instead of feeding into them, stop and listen to them. Observe them. Identify why you are feeling the way you are and what you can do to make it better.  

•  You can protect your feelings of wellbeing by ensuring that your diet provides adequate amounts of essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, as well as water.
• Engage in regular physical activity. Physical activity can help lower your overall stress levels and improve your quality of life, both mentally and physically.
• Take time to relax. Striking the balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself, can really reduce stress levels 
•  Be mindful.  Mindfulness is a mind-body approach to life that helps us to relate differently to experiences. It involves paying attention to our thoughts and feelings in a way that increases our ability to manage difficult situations and make wise choices. Research has suggested that it can reduce the effects of stress, anxiety and related problems such as insomnia and poor concentration.

What Is White coat Hypertension?

Blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day. White coat hypertension occurs when the blood pressure readings at the doctor's office are higher than other settings, such as your home. This is because of being anxious. In order to confirm that you actually have high blood pressure, several readings are needed. A standard way to measure high blood pressure is with an electronic machine after five quiet minutes in the examination room. Alternatively, you may have your blood pressure measured over a period of 24 hours with a specialized home monitor or keep logs of your blood pressure readings taken at home.

Important Lifestyle Interventions for Hypertension

• Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. Losing even a small amount of weight if you're overweight or obese helps reduce your blood pressure.
• Adopt a healthy diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, poultry and fish.
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
• Quit smoking. Each cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health.
• Chronic stress may contribute to high blood pressure. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness.