Coronavirus Anxiety: 8 Tips to Help You Through the Stress & Anxiety Caused By the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak Mindfulness Family Health

The coronavirus outbreak has caused anxiety and stress for many people all around the globe. From shortages of face masks and hand sanitizers to travel bans and confusing the flu for the virus, it's no wonder our stress levels are off the charts. "Anxiety, when it’s at the right level, encourages us to take positive action,” Dr. Kelli Harding, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, said in an interview with TODAY. “It’s OK to have that moment of panic because, in a way, if you can move beyond that, you can start making adequate precautions.”

Dr. Harding shared some simple steps you can take now to feel a little better about dealing with COVID-19:

1. Take a media break. Don’t immerse yourself in news about the coronavirus 24/7. Stay up to date by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. 

2. Wash your hands! Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60 to 95 percent alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.

3. Practice good self-care. Eat a healthy, balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables, and get enough sleep at night. 

4. Take sensible steps to prepare. Here are some disaster preparation tips from the CDC.

5. Go for a walk outside. Spending time in nature is good for mind, body and spirit. Nature may also help lower your blood pressure. 

6. Acknowledge your anxiety. Don't push your anxiety under the rug. Acknowledge it so you can deal with it. 

7. Write down your worries. Making a list of your worries may actually help you deal with them better. 

8. Send a little love to people who you care about. Reach out to people you love and care about, either through a hand-written letter, email, phone call or text message. This reassures you that you are not in this alone. 

Read the entire article at TODAY.com. Lastly, be kind. Remember that we are all in this together.

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