COVID-19 Anxiety: Coping with Stress Fear and Worry

Bright Ideas for Brighter Days

The coronavirus has impacted people across the world, physically, emotionally and mentally. With the stressors and obstacles the pandemic has brought upon us, mental health problems have increased heavily.

During the pandemic, about 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, a share that has been largely consistent, up from one in ten adults who reported these symptoms from January to June 2019.

As we slowly transition from the darker winter months into brighter spring days, millions of adults are feeling more drained and melancholy than in years past. It has never been more important to place mental health and well-being as a top priority.

If you haven’t been feeling your best self recently, there are a few things you can do that are easier to incorporate into your daily routine than you’d imagine!

Here’s a look at various treatments and lifestyle changes that can help individuals whose mental health has been harmed by COVID-19.

Anyone experiencing an escalation of anxiety or who is struggling to function normally should seek the help of a trained medical professional, as additional treatments may also be recommended in addition to the resources below.

Getting out and about to practice a form of movement every day can work wonders for your physical and mental well-being! Taking a brisk walk during your lunch break, walking your dog a little bit further or even stretching outside on your way to get the mail are just a couple examples of quick ways to implement movement in your daily routine. Not only will you feel better, but an increase in confidence and feelings of gratitude will arise as well!
Try altering your diet. The brain is one of the most metabolically active parts of the body and needs proper nutrients to function. A poor diet may not provide the nutrients necessary to produce neurotransmitters and may invite symptoms of anxiety or depression. Swapping out the basics for healthier options can be a huge step in the right direction for your health. For example, switching your soda with a fruity seltzer or trying chickpea pasta instead of the normal starchy options will work wonders for your mental health, deliciously!
Don’t underestimate the power of the sunshine! Daylight reaps many physiological and psychological benefits for all living things.

For example, Scientists at the Lighting Research Center (LRC), in Troy, N.Y have reported that exposure to natural light increases productivity and comfort, and provides the mental and visual stimulation necessary to regulate human circadian rhythms and the production of neural transmitters, such as serotonin.

The human circadian rhythms are the body’s natural clock. When your brain detects daylight and the changing spectral content over the course of the day, it tells your body to wake you up and when darkness hits, it triggers your body to fall asleep. By exposing your body to daylight throughout the day, your healthy human circadian rhythm will have a significant role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle and have a positive influence on your eating habits and digestion, body temperature, hormone release and other important bodily functions.

Serotonin, sometimes known as the happy chemical, is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that puts us in a good mood. It also helps us feel more energized and fights stress, anxiety and depression.

As living beings, we feel the benefits of being exposed to daylight, and when we don’t have it, we crave daylight and views. Researchers found that exposure to natural light throughout the day helps us feel better, safer and have less stress because it creates a sense of physical and mental comfort.

With all of the benefits connected with natural light, it’s clear why we tend to feel down and dull when we spend too much time in a dark home.

So, how do you add energy-efficient natural light to your home without breaking the bank?

You can with Solatube tubular skylights, a top lighting system that distributes sunlight throughout the spaces in your home that otherwise wouldn’t receive natural light.

Tubular skylights allows you to have beautiful, natural light without any complicated structural modifications to your house or gaping holes in your roof.

The process is simple: a dome on top of your roof captures sunlight throughout the day and funnels it through a tube made of the most reflective material in the world, then redistributes it as beautiful, diffused natural light inside your home.

Accessories are also available to help meet every home’s needs!

Whether the space in your home needs a solar-powered nightlight solution, a dimming feature or a ventilation component for rooms like the bathroom or laundry room, there’s an accessory to help your tubular skylight work for any space in the home.

If you are interested in bringing natural light into your home, call your local Solatube Premier Dealer to schedule a free in-home consultation.

Solatube Premier Dealers are trained and certified residential daylighting experts. They can assess your needs, provide a customized solution, and install your new daylighting system in about two hours.