Coping with Stress & Anxiety in Time of Crisis
Fireside Chat #5
We hope this post finds you well and overcoming challenges.
An unavoidable reality is the additional stress and potential anxiety caused by this crisis.
While we are not in control of this situation, we can control our mindset, specifically in regard to stress and anxiety. It was a pleasure to host a Fidelus Fireside Chat on the topic of “Coping with Stress and Anxiety in a Time of a Crisis” with special guest Dr. Madeleine Castellanos , a holistic/nutritional psychiatrist and uses a functional medicine approach to health and wellness.
Following are helpful tips from our discussion on how to minimize stress and anxiety that we want to share with you:
I. Stress and Anxiety
- Humans have a predisposition to have negative thoughts (amygdala/default mode network).
- Good stress drives evolution.
- Too much stress can lead to anxiety.
- Stress response can be triggered by something as simple as viewing a negative news report.
- Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone, which in high levels has negative impacts on immune health and can last in the body for up to 7 days.
II. Signs of Stress
- Changes in Sleeping Patterns
- Easily Irritated
- Changes in Eating Habits
- Changes in Energy Levels
III. Ways to Minimize Stress and Anxiety
- Be mindful of what brings you joy and do more of that when possible.
- Minimize exposure to stress triggers, such as continuously checking the news for updates.
- Eat well.
- Exercise -use your spare commuting time if you have it.
- Get a healthy amount of sleep each night.
