My Guide Marbella top tips on tackling anxiety amid the coronavirus crisis

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Helpful advice for humans!

Humans are simply not wired to tolerate uncertainty. No wonder, then, that as the coronavirus situation changes by the day, we’re experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, say, psychologists. So, here are some tips from us at My Guide Marbella to stop you feeling overwhelmed:

Stick to routines​

One way to exert control over this situation is to establish a routine for your day: set a time to get up, shower, get dressed, have meals, and a time when you go to bed each night. ‘This helps you create some certainty in your day,
 

Filter news intake

Anxiety will be maintained by constant information-checking, and with news available 24-hours a day, this couldn’t be easier. You might not be able to control the progression of a virus, but you can control how much you check the news. So be aware of the number of times you do this.
We suggest giving yourself a ‘worry window’ to think through your concerns and write them down to get them out of your head.
 

Follow the rules

Closely following guidelines on hand-washing and social distancing is not just good practice, it can ease stress, too.
In a 2016 study on uncertainty, the researchers found participants who prepared for uncertainty performed best. So obeying the new rules can help you feel some sense of control and mitigate stress.
 

Have fun

Anxiety is worse when the brain has space to be scared, so fill your time and focus on tasks that bring you joy. For example, you could learn how to play the piano or to speak a foreign language. Creative pursuits all boost emotional health and can help you cope with self-isolation,’
Regular communication with friends, family and neighbours via phone or video chats is very important to help maintain perspective, provide distraction and lift the mood.

Humans are social creatures so staying connected is important, otherwise being unable to socialize can become an additional stressor.’ Although face-to-face contact will be impossible, help could take the form of giving to food banks, helping neighbours or engaging in online community support.

Music is also known as a mood changer so why not listen to some Marbella playlists or Love streaming?
 

Eat and sleep well

It might sound obvious, but stress is exhausting, and it depletes your body’s reserves of nutrients needed to bolster your immunity. Disrupted sleep is a feature of stress, and poor diet and excess alcohol will only contribute to your burgeoning stress levels so go to bed at a set time following a calming evening routine, and avoid stressors such as mobile phones and the news at night.
 

Be Active

Exercise can counteract the chemical impact of a stress response. All the evidence shows that ten-minute bursts of activity are sufficient to dissipate stress.
 

Be positive

Practising gratitude during times of heightened fear and anxiety helps us to cope and lifts mood, which works to maintain psychological well-being.’ When you find a positive, take every opportunity to share it in any way you can.
 

Breathe deeply​

Studies show simple breathing exercises can give you a powerful stress-busting tool in a crisis.
When we are in “fight or flight” mode, the body draws in as much oxygen as possible to fuel the muscles, but you can calm this response very simply by ensuring you exhale for longer than you inhale.

Just breathe in, hold that breath for a few seconds, then very slowly and gently exhale — as if through a straw. This triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which causes your heart to slow and blood pressure to drop.

We hope that some of these top tips help you through today if you have been feeling a little anxious or overwhelmed and count on My Guide Marbella to keep bringing you the BEST of what Marbella has to offer :-)