Pandemic stress

avatiach

I got my latest lab results from a doctor’s visit and even though I had been maintaining my weight over the last two years of the pandemic (overweight but down 15 lbs from my high point), my lab numbers and BP are trending in the wrong direction… clearly the stress of working for a health department during a pandemic is catching up to me. Obviously I need to lose at least 20 pounds but…In the meantime this has sent my anxiety way up. How have you dealt with your anxiety? Taking suggestions. And if you have a mindfulness app that you like, which is it?

cwolfman13

I have generalized anxiety disorder and I also work in a stressful position in executive finance. 2020 and 2021 were also pretty bad for me in every way with COVID and trying to work from home and kids home doing online learning and stay at home orders, etc. I put on about 25 Lbs over those two years after maintaining my initial 40 Lb weight loss for seven years. A few things that have helped with my anxiety and stress...not just with the pandemic, but overall for that past 9 years or so.

1 - Regular exercise, both cardiovascular and resistance training. This has varied over the years for me, as for awhile I was heavily into endurance road cycling and spent a ton of time on my bike slogging out the miles, to the tune of about 8 hours per week or more just on the bike. 2020 and 2021, this all but came to a halt as all of my events were cancelled and I had nothing to train for. With everything going on, a bit of depression set in and I just couldn't get myself to go out and exercise, and this started feeding into my anxiety...to make matters worse, I was gaining weight and my blood work and BP and other health markers that I had worked so hard to fix started going in the wrong direction.

I determined for 2022 that I needed to get my *kitten* back together. I do not have the time nor the inclination to train like I used to, but I'm making sure I get on my bike and indoor bike trainer with Zwift 4-5 days per week for 30 minutes in the morning before work. I get into the weight room at least 2x per week...3 if I can. On weekends I go do my fun stuff like a trail ride or mountain biking, the occasional road ride, or a hike or whatever. I have to say I'm feeling way better these days.

2 - Reduce Alcohol. This may or may not apply to you, but my alcohol consumption got really out of control in 2020 and 2021...like drinking excessively every single night. With everything shut down, it basically became my primary source of entertainment. It didn't help with the stress or anxiety at all...it only fed into it. I've reduced my alcohol consumption considerably since the start of the New Year. I don't drink at all during the week and my weekend consumption has been cut drastically as well. This has helped immensely and I just feel much more in control. I'm also sleeping immensely better and wake up feeling rested, refreshed, and ready to roll.

3 - Leave my work at work. There were some plusses to working from home, but having all of my work at home and suddenly having subordinates and superiors calling or texting whenever they felt like it, not to mention continuous work emails coming through my phone wasn't one of them. I'm back in the office now and I turn off all work email notifications as soon as I step into the parking lot. I also do not accept any calls from anyone other than friends or family after 5 PM. I notified my subordinates as well as superiors that starting January 1 I would no longer respond to anything work related after 5 PM until the next day. I have my work life balance back and it has greatly reduced my stress and anxiety.

4 - Perhaps unorthodox, but cannabis is legal here. When I was first diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in 2014 I was prescribed a narcotic tranquilizer for use when things were really bad...I find cannabis to be a much better and safer alternative. I haven't used my tranquilizers in quite a long time.

HoneyBadger302

I've had a lot of stressors around the pandemic timeframe, and unbeknownst to me until about 2 months ago, my BP in particular had skyrocketed.

Since then I've done a few things (in no particular order):

• Monitor BP at home
• Lots more home prepped/cooked meals (lower sodium)
• Reduce alcohol
• Track kcal daily
• Lose some weight (that'll be on going for awhile)
• Get back into a workout routine (only on week 5)
• Meditate/visualize for 5-8 minutes/day
• Start a daily "Win the Day" critical task list with 1 task for each of 5 categories in my life (helps me focus on the day, not the bigger stressors - one day at a time n all that, but also helps me move the needles in the directions to eliminate some of those big "extra" stressors I'm dealing with)
• Got out of a unhealthy relationship
• Focusing on building healthy relationship AND friendships with more like-minded people
• Cut back on time spent with negative (for me) people (yes, even close family)
• Get outside more often - dog walks in particular, motorcycles when the weather is allowing (not the time of year for that much though LOL)

I've still got a ways to go for it to get to normal again, but it's improving and seems to have stabilized instead of flying all over like it was before (from "high" to "OMG high").

A round with some (otherwise mild) virus has set me back a tad, but still not as bad as when this all started, and hoping once I've had a few more days of recovery that mini-spike will pass.

avatiach

Wow these are such helpful ideas! Keep them coming!

Hollis100

I agree, great ideas. I also have high BP and am trying to do what I can to lower it naturally before the doctor puts me on BP meds.

One thing I'm trying is to change my reactions in traffic -- I tend to get very angry. I read that the wonderful late Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh said sometimes he would practice smiling. So I used that, and when I'm angry in traffic instead of cursing at the other driver (inside my car, not a confrontation), I make myself relax and smile. Yes, it's a fake smile, but to my shock it works and stops most of my anger -- which I'm sure makes my BP go sky high. I think the principle behind it is our physical postures are linked to our emotional states.

I'm also watching sodium, drinking water, and reducing caffeine, maybe cutting it out.

avatiach

4 - Perhaps unorthodox, but cannabis is legal here. When I was first diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in 2014 I was prescribed a narcotic tranquilizer for use when things were really bad...I find cannabis to be a much better and safer alternative. I haven't used my tranquilizers in quite a long time.

[/quote]

These were all great ideas, but the one I had never considered was this--even though my son has told me this is how he uses marijuana. When I talk to him about it, he is going to laugh. (And then give me good ideas.)

GeminiLady159

Try the app insight timer!! It’s free and there are soooo many good meditations and tons of variety.

avatiach

Try the app insight timer!! It’s free and there are soooo many good meditations and tons of variety.

I do like that! It seems like it has the most offerings for free. I even found a two minute meditation!

JBanx256

I'll throw in another vote for the Insight Timer app (I've just used the free version so far, have not upgraded to premium). That said, a friend recommended the Balance app (free for the 1st year of use), so I downloaded that and am going to give it a try as well, because why not, right?

avatiach

A year and a half later, I came back to read these and re-center. Still very helpful!

Clim60

Lots of good advice!
Another vote for insight timer! Sample a lot of meditation till you find when you like.

I also like the UCLA meditation website. They have perfect meditations to help get started.

https://www.uclahealth.org/programs/marc/free-guided-meditations

I found it very helpful to take my blood pressure before and after each meditation. This helped me develop better meditation/relaxation skills to better control the effects of stress on my blood pressure. It's kind of like biofeedback.

By doing this enough repeatedly you will build good relaxation skills to help manage the blood pressure.

That you are addressing these health concerns now is very wise! Well done!

CrazyMermaid1

Great idea about the blood pressure monitoring. I co-facilitate a NAMI Connection support group for people with generalized anxiety disorder and other mental health issues. To help people understand what a full-blown anxiety episode is, I ask them to lay down, tighten every muscle in their body, including their jaws, and stay that way. I’m not saying that all anxiety is like that, but some people, myself included, have experienced it to that degree. In my case and the case of others, anti-anxiety meds help me tremendously. Pot and my psychosis don’t mix so that’s out.