How to Not Feel Anxious or Frustrated During Self-Quarantine

You know, be careful what you wish for because you just might get it? Well, that is what self-isolation looks like. 

Now that you have binge-watched your entire Netflix/Prime Video list, eaten up almost all your snack supply and talked to everyone on your caller list - what is next? 

Well, boredom/anger/frustration and more importantly, #MajorMissing for life as you knew it. But, if you are getting ready to wallow in misery, here's a thought - how about using this absolutely legal, paid-for me-time for a complete makeover - body, mind and soul?

"Self-isolating is actually the time to really get your habits in order. Like people say ‘I don’t have time to meditate’ or ‘I forget to drink water’. Anything you do for 21 days turns into a habit, so right now is the time to build those sustainable habits that you will stick to even after the world returns to its mad pace. It’s a good time to set holistic goals," says beauty and wellness expert, Vasudha Rai.   

So, here are her tips to not feel absolutely sh****y about yourself and use this time to get fabulous-errr...

Mind

Switch your tea: "Tulsi tea is a great way to calm anxiety. Professor Mark Cohen has called Tulsi the ‘yoga for the mind’ because unlike caffeine it relaxes and energises you at the same time. You must reduce your coffee and tea consumption during this period because you don’t need it now that you are not as active."

Share the happiness: "It is good to have a gratitude group with your friends or family (instead of sharing doomsday prophecies and WhatsApp forwards) where you can share all the things you are grateful for or are positive about today."

Just breathe: "Meditation may not suit everyone especially if you are prone to anxiety or depression because then it will probably make you feel worse. So, find what suits you best. You can try alternative nostril breathing exercises that keep our nasal passages clear. If you do this regularly, you will see over time that you don’t get a cough or cold and your skin become clearer. Taking deep diaphragmatic breaths stimulates your lymph nodes and helps detox your body."

Sleep better: You can also try out guided meditations if you feel anxious during the evening time. If you like listening to music, look for sound healing videos. Those who find it harder to sleep at night can check out videos for Yoga Nidra. There are thousands of such videos, so choose anyone that works for you. An hour of Yoga Nidra done properly amounts to about 3-4 hours of good sleep.

Body

Detox your beauty regime: "If you are used to going to the salon frequently I would say that you take a break and just detoxify. You can swap getting your hair coloured for oiling that will really help with the brittleness and roughness. I love using this combination made by mixing equal parts of castor oil, Moringa oil and apricot oil. It’s okay, you may have few greys here and there but your hair quality will become so much better during this month.

Hands off!: "Corona has made us do the one thing that dermatologists over the world have been telling us for decades – Keep your hands off your face. We have also started eating more home-cooked food. So, your skin will naturally look better."

Quick fixes: "April is a really good month to detox your body. Try eating 5 freshly blossomed Neem leaves on an empty stomach for three weeks with warm water to detox your liver. The other thing you can do is to apply honey on your face, the first thing in the morning and then go about your day. The purer the honey, the better the results will be. It is a good anti-bacterial and you can keep it on for hours because it does not dry out your skin. I also suggest oil pulling, which is a really good detox for your mouth. Another thing is to spritz good quality steam distilled rose water (NOT the essential oil rose water) directly in your eyes to instantly feel refreshed." 

Food (For the Soul)

Eat mindfully: "As far as food is concerned, eat anything but stay away from refined flour (maida), too much sugar and outside food, of course. I never say no to any food because the key is to eat in moderation. Most importantly, *do not waste food*. If you think about it, the crops are grown by humans too and they will be in isolation for at least a month. So, we might have a subsequent shortage of food. Respect your food and finish everything on your plate, so that you learn a  lesson to take smaller portions next time. 

Time your fruits: "Eating fruits depends on your lifestyle. So, if you are on your couch watching television the entire day and then, eat six servings of fruits, they are obviously not that good for you. If you want to have a lot of fruits the best time to do that is in the morning. According to Ayurveda, you should eat raw food before noon, so you can have fruits for your breakfast."

Drink water: "I can guarantee that 75 per cent of the readers do not drink enough water. But use all this time to get into the habit of hydrating. I used to be like that and go the whole day without drinking water only to wake up in the middle of the night parched and down a gallon of water, which is so bad for your sleep quality."

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Vasudha Rai (@vasudha.rai) on Sep 23, 2019 at 1:46am PDT