Lockdown Love it or hate it? Lethargy, Anxiety or True Love
As you read this, I am likely laying on my settee binge watching Season 4 of Grey’s anatomy, slowly working my way through to season 15 (thankyou Amazon Prime), whilst drinking a very refreshing aloe vera drink with a splash of gin. You’d be forgiven for thinking I’m on holiday, but like a chunk of the nation, I’m lazying it up in lockdown.
Lockdown Lethargy (feeling tired and demotivated)
Rather than working away on my website (urgghhhhh), focusing on my admin (really?), or exercising to keep in shape (jogging to the fridge) I’m fully chilling and enjoying the love of the lockdown slow down.
Thing is, I ‘know’ I should be making better use of my time (I did come up with the slogan ‘lockdown laydown’ for my free Youtube meditations), but actually, so many of my friends, family, and clients are experiencing the sinister side effects of lockdown that I’m going to let the lethargy part slide. The reason is the overwhelming discomfort in lockdown, or ‘lockdown anxiety’ as it’s being termed, is a much worse symptom of the current restricted lifestyle than lethargy. If lethargy was a corner shop of possible problems, then anxiety is the shopping centre or mall.
Common side effects of anxiety during lockdown
Common anxieties include the fear of getting the Covid 19 infection from anyone, anywhere, the worry and stress of not knowing what is happening to our jobs, work or study. The fear of this continuing indefinitely. The stress of being kept inside rattling from one room to another and the normal routines of meeting up with friends or family, going to an exercise class, or relaxing in the pub, all gone. With these routines all lost, so far we’ve seen sleep is affected, dreams become more vivid, mood is bouncing around up and down every day more and changes in productivity and self esteem are also linked.
Lockdown Anxiety
If you are experiencing an increase in anxiety during lockdown this is normal and something not to panic about. At any other time in your life, you might worry about a sudden onset of irritability, worry or insecurity. However, lockdown is such an unsual occurence that your reaction is normal in response to such an abnormal unusual situation.
Top 5 tips that can help you reduce anxiety during lockdown
Five things you can do that can help reduce anxiety during lockdown are:
- Talk to friends and family that always cheer you up. Be honest and open that you’re having a crappy time. A problem shared is a problem halved and all that!
- Take REGULAR, note, REGULAR exercise. Nope, walking around the garden doesn’t cut it. Unless you have a mansion. Then it maybe might. Look, just take a walk out there and stretch those legs and lungs! The oxygen and movement kapows anxious feelings during lockdown and can help stabilise mood and boost healthy endorphins that make you feel happier in yourself.
- Use good quality, nice smelling oils, moisturisers or shower gels to add a zing and luxury to your senses whilst indoors. Pamper yourself and your senses, be it a nice hot shower or bath, putting your feet up and listening to music, eating some delicious fruit or giving each other (if you share with someone) hand massages or shoulder / foot massages. Hugging also helps. It’s science baby!
- LISTEN to hypnotherapy mindfulness meditations! I have created a few hypnotherapy meditations specifically for anxious feelings and anxiety during lockdown here for free that you can listen to on Youtube. Just grab some headphones and voila! Instant feel good reset.
- Be kind to yourself. Binge watch that box set. Eat that cake, just don’t eat too much that your weight then stresses you out. Unusual times take a toll on background stress levels, so accept you will have a few duff days and revel in how amazing you are actually doing getting through this strange time. Keep a check on your alcohol consumption. Take time to fulfill some hobbies, learn something new, or read some good books or articles that you’ve wanted to read but have not had the time to do. You totally have the excuse.
Check out what I’ve been up to when I have been outside, here on my instagram feed 🙂
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