A virus that had infected, until now, almost thirty million people and caused more than nine hundred deaths, a mundial crisis, isolation, political problems and a lot of work. These are some of the things we are having to deal with during the pandemic. In this scenario, maintaining mental health is a difficult task, but not impossible.
To do it, we need to slow down for some seconds and find activities that make us feel relaxed and happy. These are the moments that we search for peaceful moments as they are important to recharge our batteries to be prepared to face the challenges of the coming days. According to the website Sports Job, some benefits of relaxation in our routine are: heart health improvement, an increase in disposition, strengthening the immune system, memory improvement, and the reduction of the risks of stroke, depression, muscle tension with chronic pain relief and helping to maintain adequate weight.
Thinking about you, that have no idea of how to find your own moments of peace, we have made a research with a group of 39 people of the most different ages asking them what they do to find peace during the pandemic to give some tips to you.
One of the moments of relaxation that was pointed out by the great majority of people in the age group of 16 – 25 years is watching their favorite series and TV programs, mostly for those that are in high school. Watching something that we like helps to feel less stressed because it captures us from our reality, distracting us from our problems. Another way of escaping the real world that a lot of people indicated is reading books, something that you can do while drinking a huge cup of tea.
People also pointed out that exercising is something that helps them feel less stressed, because, as Larissa Rangel, 19 years old, answered “It’s one of the few things that I know that in the long run, will help me a lot. Besides, It makes me feel better about my body and my health”. In fact, it’s scientifically proven that when practicing exercises, our bodies liberate endorphins and hormones that cause welfare.
Another thing that releases endorphins in our blood is exposing ourselves to the sun for a few minutes. A great part of the people who answered the survey, of all ages, told that they take a sun-bath to feel good during quarantine. The regular bath is also a relaxing time, to reflect or just take care of our bodies, putting all the dirty away and making our skin smell good.
People also said that the practice of yoga is something that helps them relax, feel more connected to their bodies and souls, besides it helps to organize their thoughts. Another moment in which this happens is when they reserve a time for meditation and to be just with themselves, as said by Julia Inae de Oliveira,19 years, “(…) Mostly in moments when I am alone, I can usually reflect more on the issues of my life, or meditate thinking about nothing more than my body and the environment around me.” Some people also use these reflection moments to connect themselves to the transcendent.
Despite this, sharing good moments with those you like, such as your family in the meals or watching TV shows together, or with your boyfriend/girlfriend can make you feel better.
The older people that answered our research, in the age group of 60 to 70 years old, told us that making art crafts, handwork or activities like sudoku and crossing words are very relaxing to them.
After seeing all these examples, you can test some of them to find what helps you and start to separate sometimes from your routine to relax!
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The article above was edited by Beatriz Cristina.
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