How To Remain Calm During A Crisis Such As COVID-19
How To Keep Yourself & Your Family Calm & Anxiety-Free During A Crisis Such As COVID-19
Lately every news channel, every social media platform, every other person is only talking about COVID-19 or Coronavirus. The current situation with the ‘coronavirus’ or COVID-19, has been extremely overwhelming globally, whereby every other person is forced to feel stressed, afraid or anxious. Mentioning or talking about the situation doesn’t make it any easy & definitely isn’t helpful & being on social media these days is turning out to be extremely stressful. It is, therefore, a good idea to use this alone time to practice some techniques such as yoga poses & breathing exercises, prayer etc to help overcome your anxiety. Remember, fear is a normal reaction to a situation but if the fear overtakes you & becomes excessive and/or persistent, where it affects daily activities it can lead to an anxiety disorder which is characterised by symptoms of excessive uneasiness, worry or fear, with problems of falling asleep, sweaty palms & feet & even palpitations to mention a few.
How Yoga Poses Can Help You Remain Calm:
With regular practice of some of the yoga poses mentioned below, your body & mind will learn to relax & face the stressful events, without getting restless. The Pranayama is a breathing technique in the yoga that helps with anxiety and keeps one calm and composed. The asanas or body postures mentioned below too can have a calming effect on the body and mind.
5 Ways To Remain Calm During Crisis
1. Breathing Exercises To Try Alone Or With The Family To Help Relieve Stress:
Breathing exercises are one of the best & simplest forms of exercise to reduce stress & during this stressful time it is one of the best things to try out either alone or with the family. Learn to voluntarily control your respirations with slow, deep, regular breathing to promote relaxation. Pranayama is the practice of breath control in yoga. When breathing correctly and paying attention to your breath it can have a calming effect by clearing your mind of all thoughts that lead to anxiety. There are different Pranayamas to help such as the Nadi Shodhan Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing where the exhalation is longer than inhalation) is also effective in relieving stress. The other pranayamas that you can try are the Kapal Bhati Pranayama, Bhamari Pranayama & the Bhatstika Pranayama.
Simple breathing exercises can help reduce stress levels.
Here are the steps:
- Breath in slowly & deeply (make sure your stomach is pushed out).
- Hold your breath for a bit.
- Now exhale slowly (think *relax*).
- Repeat the above 5-10 times (focus on breathing deeply & slowly).
This deep breathing exercise is easy and can be done at any time, anywhere to alleviate your stress. You don’t necessarily need to practice deep breathing exercises only when you are stressed you can also practice this regularly for a happy stress-free life.
2. 5 Easy Yoga Poses To Try Alone Or With The Family That Will Help Relieve Stress & Anxiety:
For a happy & healthy mind below are some of the easy asanas or yoga poses to try either alone or even with the whole family:
1. Majariasana or Cat Stretch
The cat pose or cat stretch apart from fighting anxiety helps strengthen and stretch your spine giving it flexibility.
Steps:
1. Get on your hands and knees forming a tabletop position. (make sure your arms are perpendicular to the floor while hands flat on the ground, knees placed hip-width apart, and your head in a neutral position).
2. Exhale & tilt your head downwards towards the floor whilst your shoulders and knees are in position (note: don’t force your chin to your chest).
3. Whilst inhaling return to a neutral tabletop position on your hands and knees.
2. Fish Pose or Matsyasana
This reclining back-bending pose is good to relieve stress.
Steps:
1. Lie on your back and lift your chest by rising up on your elbows and drawing your shoulders back.
2. Make sure your neck is lengthened & the crown of your head is pointing towards the wall behind.
3. Shavasana or Corpse Pose
This pose rejuvenates the body, mind and spirit and is perfect to relieve all stress.
Steps:
1. Close your eyes & lie on your back and spread your legs apart (as wide as the yoga mat) & relax your arms on the side.
2. Relax the body and get aware of the chest and abdomen rising and falling with each breath.
Practice for as long as you want (minimum 5 minutes).
4. Downward Facing Dog or Adhomukha Shawanasana
This pose relieves anxiety. It is the perfect pose that rejuvenates the whole body, strengthening the arms, shoulders and legs as well as stretches your hamstrings, shoulders, calves, arches, hands, and spine.
Steps:
1. Place hands and knees on the floor, with fingers pointing away from you and spread apart. Hands will be placed under the shoulders, knees under the hips and spine straightened but relaxed. (Make sure your weight is evenly distributed through your whole hands and not just the wrists).
2. Lift the knees off the floor, with the buttocks raised towards the ceiling (drawing your abdominal muscles up and in).
3. Straighten your legs, heels facing down or alternatively keep your knees slightly bent and heels off the floor
4. Press the tailbone/buttocks upward gently while lengthening through your arms and legs. (make sure head is aligned with arms).
5. Stay in this position for up to 5 yoga breaths then return to starting position.
5. Balasana Or Child Pose
Balasana or child pose is a relaxing & a restful pose that relaxes the whole body. This yoga posture stretches the arms and the lower back!
Steps:
1. Begin by kneeling down on the floor, sitting on your heels (making sure your big toes are touching), with your knees separated (about hips-width apart).
2. Now exhale and stretch your torso down & forward, your forehead to the floor whilst lowering your hips to your heels.
3. In the fully stretched position, place your arms alongside your torso in a relaxed position with your palms facing upwards, releasing the front of your shoulders towards the floor.
4. Stay in this position comfortably for as long as a few minutes then inhale & return to the sitting up posture.
3. Pray & Have Faith Everything Will Be Alright:
No matter what the religion prayer is the best form of support that reassures one and helps keep the anxiety away. Daily prayer during this stressful time with the family or even alone can be very helpful and disciplining. You can either chant or sing devotional songs together, basically anything that is positive and uplifting keeping the mind calm. With regular prayers, one develops the sense of faith and starts to believe everything is for the best and that the higher divine force or power will take care of things & the situation will get better.
4. Focus On Others & How You Can Help Others:
Many a time, we are stuck thinking about me & myself & the constant worrying about what might happen to me during for example this pandemic doesn’t really help. It’s advisable to shift that attention to others around you, this helps you channelize your energy onto something other than yourself which can be very satisfying. An activity such as how can I help keep others stay calm during this situation (for example by sharing this post), or how can I monetarily help the underprivileged. You don’t have to leave your home to do any of this, you can do all of this through your phone (donate monies towards Kibera kids to a foundation such as Local Aid or other NGOs).
5. Be Happy & Be Around People That Make You Happy
The good thing is we are stuck at home during this situation with the ones we love the most; our families who make us very happy. Remember only a positive mind can be happy & relaxed. Whilst you are with the family you can do some happy exercises such as exercise gratitude. Maybe do an activity daily on gratitude with the family, for example, ask around the dinner table one thing each member is grateful for. This is not only fun it also instils happy thoughts.
The above are the 5 ways to remain calm during a crisis