Social isolation has been shown to have detrimental effects on the human brain and a person’s self-care. What do we do if this social isolation is mandated or is something we need to practice to keep ourselves and other people safe? How do we maintain our health and our sanity? Here are some things a person can do to help with brain health, physical health, and mental health.
Tip 1: Stay connected to friends and loved ones by mail. This is a great time for people to return to former ways of communication, such as “snail mail.” Some nursing homes are developing pen pal programs so their residents can receive letters via regular mail. What a great way to reach out and support our elderly community while also experiencing the joy of receiving letters!
Tip 2: Pick up the phone and reach out to family or friends. Use text messaging if possible. Other apps available include things such as Snapchat or Instagram. Stay away from negativity but use it to stay in communication. Snapchat can be fun due to the playful filters they have available. Send videos back and forth to friends or family!
Tip 3: Use video chat, such as Skype or Zoom to converse with people. Video chat can be fun and more beneficial than a phone call since you are able to see the person and vice versa.
Tip 4: Stay busy by working on projects around the house. If you don’t know how to complete the project, Youtube or other platforms such as Pinterest have great ideas and directions for accomplishing the projects!! Don’t forget to have fun while you do it! Try some different hobbies! You might be surprised to find some artistic abilities you did not know that you had!
Tip 5: Is the news and social media getting you down? Take a break! Give yourself time to detox from social media and media! Focus on things that are positive! Watch funny movies and shows. Laughter elevates mood and decreases stress!
Tip 6: Don’t forget to have daily exercise and eat nutritious meals! Exercise boosts endorphins which are a ‘feel good’ chemical in the brain. Helps with health, cognition, mood, stress, and has many more benefits! Learn to cook new nutritious meals. Nutrition and physical health are crucial in fighting off illnesses. Find new exercise programs or videos. Try different and new things such as yoga, Zumba, or even ballet!! Don’t forget to have fun!!