So, the NHL season has just been cancelled as well as that of the NBA. My conference in April will now be conducted virtually, and I just found out that my city has just pretty much shut down all public gatherings. The COVID-19 outbreak is now considered a pandemic, and each one of us plays a role in making sure that we slow down and contain the virus. Following the directives of social distancing and taking public health guidelines seriously is of utmost importance.
In addition to following these guidelines, though, this is the time where we should be practicing "self-care" - I am not talking about the meaning attributed to this word that connotes having a spa day for yourself or your girlfriends for a lark. No, I mean the practices that you need to put in place to make sure that you remain healthy. Let's stick to the clinical here: "self-care is any necessary human regulatory function which is under individual control, deliberate and self-initiated." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-care
One of the key ways by which you can help yourself is by ensuring that you are getting your 7-8, possibly 9, hours of sleep. Sleep is foundational to good health. Your immune system's effectiveness takes a hit if you miss out on even one night of good sleep. In addition, sleeping well at night is critical to the regulation of your emotions and primes you to handle stressful situations better. If needed, take a 15-minute nap during the day, no longer than 20 minutes. This will give you a boost.
If you are anxious about the coronovirus and are having difficulty sleeping, make sure to take the time to talk to someone who can help you with your concerns. Writing has been shown to help relieve stress. Relaxation exercises are helpful, especially if practiced throughout the day.
Wherever you are I am hoping that you get through these trying times well. Take care everyone, take the precautions that you need to take... and get the sleep you need.
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