By Danielle Kutchel
Levels of concern, stress and anxiety are at an all-time high across the country in the face of empty supermarket shelves and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
It can be difficult to know how to calm those intrusive midnight thoughts or racing heartbeats.
But according to associate professor Craig Hassed from the department of general practice at Monash University, there are steps we can all take to reduce our anxiety in this trying time.
He believes some of the anxiety currently being felt is out of step with the scale of events.
“Concern about getting the infection isn’t unreasonable, but the anxieties people often have are out of proportion,” he said.
He recommends people use reliable sources of information about the virus, including government and medical college websites.
“Not feeding on the social media frenzy is probably going to help as well,” he added.
Practising mindfulness can counteract stress and anxiety, along with being considerate of the other human beings we cross paths with.
Mindfulness can help keep people grounded and allows sensible decision-making.
A/Prof recommended the free Smiling Mind app as people introduce themselves to mindfulness, as well as Monash University’s Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance course.
The free course is available online on the Future Learn platform and gives users grounding in how to practise and integrate mindfulness in their lives.
A/prof. Hassed said stress can easily lead to selfishness, as people’s thoughts turn to their own survival.
“It’s very easy for the mind to run ahead of the self and catastrophise about the future,” he said.
“When that anxiety bubbles over into how people behave and respond to each other, you start unnecessary panic buying and people getting angry in supermarkets and elsewhere.
“Very often, this fear and anxiety is as contagious as or more than Covid-19.”
But a better way of getting through the pandemic, he said, is by helping others and being considerate.
“Generosity can be tremendously helpful,” he said.
And, having a laugh is a great stress reliever too.
As if that wasn’t enough, chronic stress can actually suppress the immune system, meaning people are more likely to catch viruses – whether corona or not – and more likely to have severe symptoms.
Eating a good diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole foods, exercising regularly at a moderate intensity and sticking with a regular sleeping pattern can all help keep the immune system strong.
“If we manage our stress, then we reverse the negative impact that stress can have on our resistance to illness,” A/prof Hassed said.
Find out more at www.futurelearn.com/courses/mindfulness-wellbeing-performance
