Maintaining Daily Wellness During a Crisis

Now more than ever connection matters. During this global health crisis of the Coronavirus Pandemic, we are all practicing enhanced physical hygiene, washing our hands, sanitizing groceries, and practicing social distancing. During this time, it is important that we all practice enhanced mental hygiene, to keep ourselves mentally healthy and strong and manage during this difficult time. Here are our six main tips for Maintaining Daily Wellness while sheltering in place:

1. Maintain a regular eating schedule. All foods nourish. Do not let anyone (including your eating disorder) tell you that eating “processed foods” is bad for you. All foods nourish. Repeat this as often as necessary. Aim for three meals per day plus an afternoon snack. If you are able to adhere to your meal plan -- amazing! If you have trouble, that’s okay. It is to be expected that during this time eating may be harder. Reach out for support if you need to and read our guidelines for managing your eating disorder at home during the Coronavirus Pandemic. 

2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time every night and aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Practice good sleep hygiene, including stopping screen use two hours before bedtime, and limit the use of your bed to sleep, quiet reading, and self/partner intimacy. Do not eat in bed or do work in bed! (See our guidelines on working from home). 

3. Create daily moments of connection. Make sure to have at least one social interaction with another person every day. This can include things like teletherapy sessions, calling, texting, FaceTime’ing with friends and family, having group video hangouts with co-workers/colleagues. Talk to your neighbors! (at a safe distance of course)

4. Practice daily intentional mindful movement. This can include formal exercise (if that is medically and mentally safe for you), as well as informal movement such as walking, dancing, and playing! There are many online options to help with movement during this time. We welcome you to join us for our twice weekly livestream yoga sessions. 

5. Connect to creativity once a day. This includes a range of things! Drawing, painting, origami, playing with clay (make homemade play-doh using our recipe here), working on a puzzle, playing a board game or video game, complete a crossword puzzle or word jumble, signing, dancing, knitting, fort building -- anything goes! Do not feel pressured to do any of these things, or even to do them for very long. Even ten minutes of a creative pursuit away from screens is an essential moment of mental rest and healing. 

6. Get fresh air once every day. If you are not sick, please take a moment every day to leave your home and be outside, while continuing to practice appropriate social distancing measures. Staying inside all day is not healthful for our minds. Fresh air is important, as well as being out in the world to remind you that life continues, and something exists beyond this period of sheltering in place. If you are able to walk in nature, please do so as studies support that even small amounts of time in nature provides a mental health boost.