Reasons for stress in times of Covid-19

In any dangerous situation, stress is our body's immediate response which prepares us to either tackle or run from it. During a pandemic, however, the option of tackling the problem becomes invalid. That being said, the constant fear of the unknown is one of the major reasons for this mental state. There are more than 2.5 million confirmed cases of Covid 19 worldwide and close to 200,000 deaths. These number have lead to multiple avenues that cause stress -

Negative news

Media outlets constantly post updates which mostly comprise of the spread of the disease and the deaths caused. Moreover, misinformation only worsens the situation.

Financial/Economical Uncertainty

Many industries have incurred huge losses due to the restrictive measures taken by authorities to control the spread of the virus. Consequently, it has fallen heavily on the working class, much of which is either left unemployed or with deducted/deferred salaries. The depleting savings of the common man has raised questions on survival, especially for the ones engaged in the unorganized sector.

Reduced self-discipline

Work-from-home requires extra effort since the mindset of work environment is hard to achieve at home. After spending hours in front of a computer screen, the excessive use of phones have gravely affected sleeping patterns. This has created a vicious cycle of staying up late and waking up sleep-deprived.

Lack of Exercise

In continuation to being lethargic due to sleep deprivation, the lack of exercise has eliminated the only way of releasing stress through physical activity at home. Exercise also helps in boosting mental health, energy and sleep quality.

Fear

The fear of the unknown is in itself the biggest cause of stress. Covid 19 is highly contagious and with its symptoms being so common with flu, it is hard to determine the infected ones. Although the mortality rate varies from country to country, it is a serious cause of concern.

It is necessary that we pay attention to our health during this phase. Our physical health correlates directly with our mental health. Just an effort to stick to a proper schedule along with regular exercising can go a long way in keeping our health in check.