Lockdown hasn’t been good for anyone, but your brain has probably suffered the most. Don’t let this worry you, especially if you haven’t seen any side-effects. No one is predicting that you’ll experience a mental illness. However, it’s important to be aware of the consequences of remaining indoors for the better part of a year.
For instance, you have a greater risk of suffering from depression as you can’t relieve pent-up tension as easily. The trick is to keep your brain stimulated. Then, the after-effects of lockdown won’t be as severe. If you aren’t sure how to do it, please continue reading.
Socialize Regularly
The thing you want to ward off is stress. When your cortisol levels increase in a harmful way, you’re more likely to deal with memory loss, and that’s a precursor for the mental illnesses you want to avoid in later life. Thankfully, socializing can take many forms, from having a virtual conversation over Zoom to going out for a socially-distanced walk with a friend.
Gaming is an incredibly powerful way to connect with people, which is partly why console sales have gone through the roof since March 2020.
Stop Staring At Screens Unnecessarily
Staring at a screen isn’t going to do you any favors unless the information on the device is challenging. Scrolling through social media, for example, is quite unhealthy as it only boosts your fear of missing out, or encourages you to compare your life to another person’s lifestyle.
A smart move is to participate in digitally challenging pursuits, such as an escape room. As soon as you play an online escape room, your brain cells will begin to fire as they think of ways to solve clues and crack the code. Alternatively, you can read, taking in new ideas and increasing your vocabulary in the process.
Keep A Schedule
It’s all about staying mentally active, and anything that encourages your mind to work counts. Therefore, keeping a schedule is a quick and easy way to stimulate your brain when you assume you’ve exhausted other avenues. A smart move is to write them down in a book or appointment calendar. That way, you can check things off your to-do list.
If you prefer mental schedules, the key is to repeat things out loud to yourself. When you do this, your powers of recollection will be enhanced, and you’ll be less likely to forget even the smallest of details.
Challenge Yourself
A lockdown is a comfortable period in many ways. After all, your job is to stay at home as much as possible to prevent the spread of the virus. That means everything takes place from home, and your house becomes your safety blanket. Sadly, this routine stops the brain cells from working hard, which is why you might experience fatigue and apathy.
Challenging yourself takes you out of your comfort zone, and it encompasses many different tasks, such as sticking to a vegan diet or trying a new hobby that you haven’t attempted before.
Brain stimulation is essential. What are you doing to put your mental health first?
2 comments
I certainly need less screen time! 😀
Hehe Deffo the same here. xx