5 Pandemic Mental Health Strategies

Here are some mental health strategies that we can practice together during these uncertain times. Read to the end to see what our King’s community is doing to support our students, staff and faculty! We may be in the comfort of our own homes instead of on campus, but we are committed to reaching you however we can.

Social Connection
Although social connection can be hard to come by while following government guidelines, we can still practice social distancing and see someone face to face. A couple of blogs ago I talked about how to reconnect with others and I’ve thought of something called “porch time”. Talking to someone from your porch or from theirs is a good way to keep distance but still get that communication and connection that is not from your screen. You can also have social distancing car meets where you and your friends can sit in the trunk of your car and have a chat from a safe distance!

Sense Your Senses
It’s important not to only tune into what’s in your head but also how you feel. What makes you feel good? Is there a particular song that makes you feel calm? Is there a particular smell or your favorite scent that brings you down memory lane? Once you understand how your nervous system responds to a certain stimulus, you can figure out how to calm down in a healthy way.

Soak Up The Sun
This may seem obvious but the sun is really good for you! Being in the sun for a couple of minutes can help you feel good. Practice making walks part of your daily routine or even setting a time to walk outside, breathe in some fresh air and listen to the birds sing.

Foodie Break
Practice getting into the routine of cooking or baking something healthy. Some examples of foods that can negatively affect mood include sugary snacks, fried foods, too much caffeine, etc. The kinds of foods that positively boost your mood include salmon, tuna, avocados, beans, fresh fruit, nuts, etc. Eating good is healthy for the mind, body, and soul!

Find Support
Another good mental health strategy to practice is knowing where to find help. If you find that some of these strategies seem to be working but there still seems to be something missing, reaching out to health professionals, family, or friends is a good way to start. Our King’s community is offering COVID-19 supports that give you access to our wellness room, academic support staff, and more.

These are just some mental health strategies that you can try out during the pandemic season. I hope you’re safe, healthy, happy and living your best life this summer. I will talk to you in the next blog!

Yours truly,
Bianca