3 Ways to Prepare Your Mental Health for Winter

Covid-19 is like one giant, bumpy, unripe lemon. You will need all the sugar in the world to make this a sweet lemonade. Or so I thought.

We saw the world shift from lockdown, to reopening, to a surge in infection rates, to modified phases. With the Winter season approaching, there does not seem to be any promising sign that this virus is slowing down enough for us to return to the way things were. This means that we must continue to accept and adjust to life’s new normal. All of this can have a negative effect on mental health. I read an Instagram post that compared Covid to incarceration. The inability to access regular resources for mental health support, or travel where you want for peace of mind or change of scenery, can really produce or heighten existing mental health issues. Regardless of a formal diagnosis, we have all been experiencing varying degrees of anxiety. I suggest we use the Fall season as a chance to strengthen our mental health survival techniques because only God knows what Winter will bring. So what are some ways we can keep our mental health intact when we are so unsure about everything around us? Perhaps we get back to the basics: sleep and food. These are physiological needs that must be met in order to survive. However, they have a great effect on the quality of our mental health. To avoid causing further distress and adding salt to your lemonade, use this time to get to know about you.

What do you like to eat and why? What foods give you the most pleasure? How do you feel right before and after you are finished eating this food? Lastly, what nutrients does it provide? Getting to know and understand why you reach for the foods you do can give you some insight on the ways in which you rely on food or use food as a crutch to avoid dealing with issues that are tough to swallow. For example, cravings for ice cream, pizza, or any kind of fast carb junk food, may not only be a sign of hunger, but that you may need more protein in your diet or that your blood sugar is too low at the moment. On an emotional level, it can also mean that you are feeling distressed about a certain area of your life and are using quick carbs as a form of comfort. The high sugar release achieved from eating fast carbs causes a surge in dopamine, a chemical substance that affects how we experience pleasure. Foods like this can be an easy way to meet our basic and psychological needs such as safety, security or affection. Unfortunately, the global pandemic has negatively affected our ability to fulfill these needs in a wholesome manner. While a little ice cream never hurt anyone, taking time to create a food diary linked to your emotions and thoughts is a good way to find out what the foods you eat are trying to tell you about the state of your mental and emotional health. Once we learn what we reach for and why, then we can look for more fulfilling ways to meet these needs and ultimately strengthen our mental and emotional health.

Sleep is another basic need that is often ignored. We’d rather stay up late watching anything we can than catch some shut eye. Why is that? It is important to discover what sleep means to you. Sometimes, when we neglect something that we know is good for us, it is a sign that on some level we do not feel deserving or worthy of its benefits. Sleep allows us to repair damage caused by stress, helps regulate hormone levels, boosts the immune system and supports mental wellbeing. It is a way for us to recharge and wake up equipped to tackle new challenges the following day. In other words, it is a form of self-care. Do you feel deserving of self-care? Why or why not?

Taking care of your body by addressing your food and sleep habits is the most basic form of self-care and is a way to improve mental stamina.

Another way to supercharge your mental health during Covid, is to change your perspective. Instead of living in a state of negativity, flip everything around. What is on the other side of your pancake of negativity? Being in a pandemic is driving us to spend more time with our thoughts or with people who reflect things about us we need to change. Having a journal gives us a physical space where we can engage in introspection. It may be beneficial to learn how to make sanitizer or face masks, or educate yourself on the trajectory of the virus, but what about life lessons? What has Covid shown or taught you about yourself? For me personally, it has shown me that the work I thought I had completed in becoming a patient person is literally unending. The pinnacle I thought I had reached is in fact nowhere near a pinnacle- and that’s okay. I do not like waiting in lines or waiting for grocery shelves to be restocked. But these are things I have no control over. Understanding where control begins and ends for you is key to preserving your mental health for the upcoming Winter season. By relinquishing that which you cannot control, you create more mental space to be free and take charge of your life.

However you choose to boost your mental health is up to you, of course. One thing Covid has all given us is time. Make it a point to use the extra time you have to discover more about yourself. And if you feel uneasy about making time for self-discovery, perhaps that is just another much needed self- revelation.