COVID-19 has devastated families, institutions, and livelihoods while also scarring those at the front lines who witness it every single day. The strain put on our mental health during COVID-19 cannot be understated and the lockdown spent watching the news during such a time of extreme crisis has pressured our mental health further. It can be helpful to take moments out of your day to truly reflect on COVID-19’s impact on education and the mental health of students that might be fractured at the moment.

For those looking to pursue medicine, seeing crippling amounts of pressure being put on the healthcare system might be personally worrying. However, it is especially important to consider the mental health of students at such a critical juncture. To help take care of your mental health during covid-19, keep the following tips in mind to reduce stress.

1. Free Headspace Subscription – Headspace is a US-based meditation app that announced a free subscription to all healthcare workers in India to tackle their mental health during COVID-19. Headspace has conducted numerous studies to reach the definitive conclusion that with just 30 days of guided meditation and practicing mindfulness, there has been a 30% stress reduction, greatly boosting mental health of students during COVID-19. If you are searching for a sense of peace in your days, consider signing up for Headspace.

2. Take Care of Your Health – It can be difficult to separate your own life from those you care for but finding time to ensure that you are getting the exercise and nutrition you need is essential for myriad reasons. Firstly, an adequate diet that is supplemented with vitamins and nutritious food is essential to building up your immune system, an important factor when amid a pandemic. Secondly, as physical and mental health during covid-19 are interrelated, exercise regularly, try and sleep for full 8 hours, and eat healthy.

3. Communicate Often – One of the best ways to destress and find a connection in an isolating time is to talk to other people. Be it friends, family, or a counselor, consider finding a connection and a way to unwind. Especially when considering COVID-19’s impact on the education and mental health of students during covid-19, these forms of socialization may provide a much-needed respite.

4. Limit News – The endlessness of social media coupled with the stress of news can seriously harm the mental health of students during covid-19 and adults alike. While we all must remain alert about further developments in the pandemic, limit the amount of time that you ingest news.

If you find moments of solace through submerging yourself into challenging but rewarding tasks, perhaps signing up for an online course is a good way to spend your day. To get started, click here to view DigiNerve’s medical course options.