6 keys to adapt to the new reality after confinement

For several weeks now, the coronavirus pandemic has become the news item in virtually every country in the world, and for good reason.

The truth is that it is expected; It is a situation for which there are no precedents in recent decades, and the first time that a situation of global confinement in which millions of people also have the opportunity to create and consume information on television, Internet, etc.

However, as we move towards the end of this quarantine situation through de-escalation and the return to streets, a phenomenon arises that many had not taken into account: for some people, it is difficult to return to the lifestyle habits of before. Therefore, here we will see several key ideas for adapting to the new normal after confinement, as recommendations to apply on a day-to-day basis.

• Related article: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

How to adapt to the new reality at the end of the confinement?

As expert mental health psychologists, we believe that when returning to normal life after the quarantine period driven by the state of alarm, it is advisable to follow these guidelines.

1. Take the opportunity to exercise outdoors

If you have done things well during confinement, you will not have stopped exercising, using as an excuse that you cannot leave your home. Now, however, it is time to take advantage of the fact that you can go out, since you will have the possibility of going to areas with cleaner air.

The latter is so good for your health that, in the long term, it can even be noticed in your mental agility, since it has been shown that frequent exposure to Unpolluted air helps maintain working memory in good condition, responsible for performing complex mental operations such as reasoning and calculation.

2. If returning to normalcy stresses you out, practice Mindfulnes

Mindfulness is a set of exercises inspired by traditional meditation that help to fight anxiety and to experience the present moment without dragging stress-generating thoughts; For this reason, many psychologists use this tool in our work with patients. Fortunately, it is very easy to learn some of these exercises and apply them on a daily basis at the user level.

3. Readjust your schedule

It is important that your day to day does not lose its structure. It must be borne in mind that changing habits can lead to chaos when dividing our responsibilities between the hours of which we have, so that we waste time when we should be working and work when we should be resting or, worse, sleeping. To avoid this, take a moment specifically to redesign your schedule., and put it in a place in your home where you have it in view frequently, such as the refrigerator.

• You may be interested: "The top 7 sleep disorders"

4. Check that you get enough sleep

With the change of dynamics back to normal, it may be that your biological clock undergoes some changes and notice that you want to sleep at different times than a few weeks ago. Prevent this from becoming a snowball problem: maintain discipline to go to always sleep at the right time, without postponing sleep or the moment you get up from bed bed.

5. Get back in touch with those who are important to you

This is a context in which you can make impromptu hangouts with people you have only seen through a screen for weeks... yes, maintaining the safety distance until necessary. In this way you will strengthen these links, which have been weakened due to the confinement situation (especially in the case of people outside your family environment).

6. Consider modifying your diet

Now that you will get out more, your body will use more energy. So you may need to eat more nutrients to keep up. Of course, in the event that during confinement you have not significantly modified the type of food and the amount you consume daily, do not add anything else. Remember that good physical condition is reflected in your mental health, and that not taking care of yourself leads to feeling worse and adopting more harmful habits that affect us psychologically.

Are you interested in having the professional support of psychologists?

If you are going through difficult times and you think you need psychotherapeutic help, we invite you to get in touch with our team of professionals.

At Psicotools we offer therapy both in person at our center in Barcelona and in online format, we train in Mindfulness practices, and we serve people of all ages. We have many years of experience intervening in emotional, affective, cognitive and behavioral problems. You can see more information about us, as well as our contact information, at this page.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association (2014). DSM-5. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Madrid: Panamericana.
• World Health Organization. ICD 10. (1992). Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Mental and Behavioral Disorders: Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Guidelines. Madrid: Meditor.
• Stephan WG, Stephan CW (1985). Intergroup Anxiety. Journal of Social Issues.