To say we live in stressful times is really an understatement. While every generation thinks theirs is the best of times and worst of times, the current situation of life under a global pandemic is truly unique. Even the global flu pandemic from more than 100 years ago – despite its devastating toll of 50 million dead – can’t really compare to today’s situation, particularly when we are hyper aware of all that is happening in the world thanks to technology. The current pandemic is not only a medical crisis but an economic and social crisis as well – all combining to increase our daily stress to truly unhealthy levels.
First let’s remember that certain kinds of stress can be a good thing. Mechanical stress, such as exercise, causes your muscles and bones to become stronger and your nerve system to become smarter. Taking on a new assignment at work or taking a challenging class in school may be stressful, but the effort involved in achieving a successful result will cause you to grow and develop in ways that you might not have imagined.
But chronic, ongoing physical and mental stress, the kind that is affecting us now on a daily basis, is not good for us. Chronic stress causes real psychological and physical problems. People undergoing chronic stress may develop anxiety, which if not managed effectively may lead to depression. Chronic stress may lead to a variety of disorders and diseases, including back pain, fibromyalgia, headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, arthritis, inflammatory conditions such as Crohn's disease, gastrointestinal problems such as peptic ulcer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even heart attacks and stroke. Chronic anxiety can lead to persistently elevated levels of adrenaline which in turn can cause a person to always anticipate the worst, to have ongoing feelings of dread, to be constantly irritable and tense, and to experience panic attacks.
We all know the consequences of living with too much stress. But the stress of everyone at home at the same time, trying to balance work, virtual schooling and family life doesn’t seem to have an end in sight anytime soon. So, how to cope?
In my own life, I am balancing working in my medical practice with virtual schooling a kindergartner, tag teaming child care with my husband who is also working outside the home, and trying to maintain a semblance of normal family life for the sake of my 2-year-old. I am sure you all experiencing similar situations – maybe both parents are home working and you are also trying to supervise the learning of children at a variety of grade levels. Here are some strategies that have helped our family and may help yours:
Embrace the Routine – Even though your normal routine may have been turned upside down during this stay-at-home order, try to maintain that normal routine as much as possible. We are all creatures of habit and most of us find a great deal of comfort in maintaining a steady routine. Even with everyone at home, try getting up at the same time and going to bed at the same time because these routines can really help maintain some sense of balance. And be sure to get enough rest - during times of stress, we may not sleep as well and we all need our rest to be as patient and as adaptable as we need to be during this time.
We also need routine when it comes to work/school hours and regular meal times for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Setting some boundaries around “work time” and “school time” as well as “meal time” is a good way to ensure you leave room in your daily schedule for individual quiet activities or group time spent as a family engaging in something fun.
Eat Clean – Try to avoid over reliance on “comfort food” during this time - significantly reducing one's intake of simple carbohydrates - soda, muffins, cookies, cake, fast food, and even juice - will often have a substantial impact on reducing stress by limiting the spikes in blood sugar these foods typically bring. In addition, ensuring at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day will also provide great benefit. With your children home all day – and you trying to work - it may be hard to monitor their snacks, so try to devise a system where you portion out their snacks for the day and then keep the rest hidden for another time. Adults need to watch caffeine and alcohol intake as well – overuse will create more stress and eventually outweigh the pleasure they bring in the short term.
Move, Stretch, Listen to Music – With everyone working from home it is very likely that you are not all working in ergonomically correct environments. Using your laptop at the kitchen table while sitting on a wooden chair may be your only option but I am sure you are also well aware of its consequences such as an increase in back pain or more frequent headaches. The same goes for your kids who may be doing their online lessons on a couch or table or even the floor. As much as possible schedule regular breaks to get up and move – even just to walk around the house or touch your toes or march in place for five minutes and really help ease the tension in tight muscles. At the end of the work/school day, get outside, go for a walk or play in the yard – anything to get the circulation moving to counteract the stiffness that comes from sitting and staring at a screen all day.
Music is also a great way to destress and studies have shown that it can actually relieve pain in adults as well as children. Scientists have studied this and now believe music reduces pain by competing with the same sensory pathways, and this may allow music listeners to divert their focus from pain and engage in more pleasurable stimuli like music. It appears music impacts the anterior cingulate cortex - a part of the brain involved in registering physical pain. This area also influences the autonomic nervous system, which explains why music study participants also saw decreases in their blood pressure and heart rate.
Boost Your Immune System. Stress can have a very negative impact on the immune system and a healthy immune system guards against disease. Increasing vitamins like A, C, B, D and minerals like zinc can have a very positive impact on immunity. We also know the importance of keeping our hands clean (soap and water is truly the best method) and respecting social distancing to stop the spread of this virus but making a concerted effort to bolster immunity during times of increased stress can be equally beneficial to staying well.
We know the lock down associated with the COVID-19 pandemic will eventually come to an end and we will hopefully all emerge stronger as a result. Stress and anxiety, however, will always be a part of our modern life but we can limit their negative impact on our health by maintaining routines, eating clean, getting outdoors, stretching to music, putting down the screens, enjoying time with friends and family as well as being intentional about boosting immunity. Finally, seek advice from your health care provider on additional strategies for staying healthy while managing stress.
Contributed by Dr. Erica Hamer, DC, DIBCN, DIBE, Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and owner of Ponte Vedra Wellness Center with offices in Ponte Vedra Beach and Nocatee Town Center.
