Natural Ways to Reduce Pandemic-related Stress and Anxiety

Before the pandemic, we all thought we’ve been dealing with every possible kind of stress. We have stressors at home, at work, and even online. But then, the pandemic happened. Our stress levels sky-rocketed, and we became extremely anxious about our health and safety. We are scared about our family’s safety, our finances, and specifically our future.

To cope with pandemic-driven stress and anxiety, people tried to use different methods. For some, they chose to go natural. They turned to remedies like ecotherapy, essential oil therapy, home workouts, and even ecotherapy.

Essential Oils

Many people are obsessed with essential oils. People have been using these since ancient times. While there are only a limited number of studies backing up essential oils’ affectivity, many started embracing essential oil therapy, especially during the pandemic.

According to a survey, about 24% of Americans believe that essential oils are indeed beneficial in many ways. People use essential oils mainly to help them relax and relieve stress. Certain essential oils are known to offer specific benefits and are either inhaled or applied topically. ;

Lavender is often the go-to choice in relieving stress. Chamomile is for relaxation and mood enhancement. Tee Tree is to boost immunity, while rose is often used to reduce anxiety.

Some people who are extremely stressed out can manifest skin issues and aging. Your acne can get worse with stress, while the common cause of psoriasis is stress. Nowadays, some people use CBD oil to reduce stress, while hemp oil is for treating skin disorders.

Ecotherapy

The pandemic made more people closer to nature. Many are now using ecotherapy to promote calm, fight stress, and improve one’s overall well-being. In a nutshell, ecotherapy refers to spending more time with nature to boost one’s mental health.

One can approach ecotherapy in numerous ways. During the coronavirus pandemic, backyard gardening is the most common type. More people now have a thriving garden in their backyard, while others opted to take care of indoor plants.

There is also an increase in pet adoptions during the pandemic. One can consider this as animal-assisted therapy as being with animals can help people manage their stress. With a pet to take care of, you can stick to a daily routine, enjoy a new sense of purpose, and put your focus away from the negative news about the pandemic.

Outdoor yoga and meditation are also a hit during the crisis. Many people took their yoga mats outside their homes and in their deck or yards to stretch, meditate, and engage in breathing exercises. If you’ve been loving yoga for a while now, you can boost its effectiveness by bringing yoga to nature.

Virtual Hugs

The coronavirus crisis made people distance themselves from strangers and their loved ones. If before, having brunch with your family and dinner dates with friends is an occasional occurrence, contact is more limited due to social distancing rules and social gathering restrictions. This led more people to feel sad and miss the company of others.

Thankfully, technology makes it a lot easier to let your loved ones know you miss them. No amount of technology may be able to replace in-person bonding. But this can be enough for now, knowing it can help reduce the spread of the virus.

Now, we became more tech-dependent. We use text, chats, emails, and video calls to get in touch with family, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. We do more online shopping, surprise our loved ones with food or gift deliveries, and do virtual gatherings to celebrate special occasions.

Home Workouts

Many are living a more sedentary life ever since the pandemic erupted. But more people are now working out at home. This is after gyms closed and working out with other people became a health concern.

Now, many already invested in numerous gym equipment they can use at the comforts of their home. Some homeowners turned a spare room into a home gym. Others make use of their deck or yard as an outdoor recreational hotspot.

Some turned their gym memberships into fitness subscriptions. Instead of free random tutorials on the web, they now take advantage of live workout classes. This enables them to work out with like-minded individuals while social distancing.

These are but four natural ways people are relieving stress and reducing their anxiety levels mid-pandemic. This shows that one does not necessarily need to take medications to handle crisis-driven stress and anxiety. There are numerous effective ways to this. It pays to explore your options and see which one fits your current lifestyle and situation.