3 SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY AND HOW TO COPE
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If you’re feeling anxious, that’s understandable — and you are not alone.
A recent American Psychiatric Association poll found more than onethird of Americans think the coronavirus crisis is seriously affecting their psychological health. And calls and texts to mental health hotlines have dramatically increased.
Let’s look at three problems that can be caused or exacerbated by anxiety, and steps you can take to address those issues.
1. Sleeplessness
Most of us are aware anxiety leads to insomnia and other sleep problems. “People can experience a range of sleep problems when they’re anxious: difficulty falling asleep, middle-of-the-night awakenings with mind racing and ruminating, and having a hard time falling back asleep,” said Jill Stoddard, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Center for Stress and Anxiety Management in San Diego. In a cruel cycle, the less sleep we get, the stronger our anxiety can become.
The good news is “focusing on improving sleep can make both sleep and anxiety better,” said Brandon Peters, a neurologist and sleep medicine doctor in Seattle and the author of “Sleep Through Insomnia.” He recommends maintaining a consistent bedtime, limiting caffeine and alcohol intake, removing visible alarm clocks, exercising and getting at least some exposure to daylight each day, if possible
2. Difficulty focusing
Humans have evolved to focus their attention on a threat. Because the coronavirus threatens our health, livelihoods and way of life, we are consumed by reading and watching news about it and by thinking about ways to protect ourselves from it.
The problem is we might also need to be teleworking and home-schooling our kids.
“The brain can do only so much.
When our attention is absorbed by coronavirus, we will have a harder time concentrating on anything else we are trying to do in the moment,” said Jonathan Abramowitz, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina.
To improve your concentration, start by reducing your tasks to the most essential ones. “Each evening, list the things that need to be done the next day, and rank them by importance and urgency,” said Amelia Aldao, clinical psychologist and founder of Together CBT in New York City. Then, schedule specific times when you will do the most important and urgent chores, making sure to give yourself breaks about every 45 minutes. Be kind to yourself, accepting that it is completely normal for our functioning to be compromised during this stressful time.
3. Forgetfulness
Many of us are also having difficulty remembering and managing relevant information.
Tasks require what psychologists call working memory, and a 2016 research review found anxiety adversely affects such memory. “Anything that relaxes you will also help with memory, as relaxation engages the parasympathetic nervous system,” said Aleksandra Parpura, a gerontologist in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Good examples of relaxation activities include yoga, mindfulness, exercise and spending time in nature, if possible.
“Doing activities that are inherently engaging and focusing for a given person are particularly helpful,” Parpura said. So, if you are a fan of crossword puzzles, Sudoku, crafts, video games or playing the piano, make sure to find some time to devote to them now.
A recent American Psychiatric Association poll found more than onethird of Americans think the coronavirus crisis is seriously affecting their psychological health. And calls and texts to mental health hotlines have dramatically increased.
Let’s look at three problems that can be caused or exacerbated by anxiety, and steps you can take to address those issues.
1. Sleeplessness
Most of us are aware anxiety leads to insomnia and other sleep problems. “People can experience a range of sleep problems when they’re anxious: difficulty falling asleep, middle-of-the-night awakenings with mind racing and ruminating, and having a hard time falling back asleep,” said Jill Stoddard, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Center for Stress and Anxiety Management in San Diego. In a cruel cycle, the less sleep we get, the stronger our anxiety can become.
The good news is “focusing on improving sleep can make both sleep and anxiety better,” said Brandon Peters, a neurologist and sleep medicine doctor in Seattle and the author of “Sleep Through Insomnia.” He recommends maintaining a consistent bedtime, limiting caffeine and alcohol intake, removing visible alarm clocks, exercising and getting at least some exposure to daylight each day, if possible
2. Difficulty focusing
Humans have evolved to focus their attention on a threat. Because the coronavirus threatens our health, livelihoods and way of life, we are consumed by reading and watching news about it and by thinking about ways to protect ourselves from it.
The problem is we might also need to be teleworking and home-schooling our kids.
“The brain can do only so much.
When our attention is absorbed by coronavirus, we will have a harder time concentrating on anything else we are trying to do in the moment,” said Jonathan Abramowitz, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina.
To improve your concentration, start by reducing your tasks to the most essential ones. “Each evening, list the things that need to be done the next day, and rank them by importance and urgency,” said Amelia Aldao, clinical psychologist and founder of Together CBT in New York City. Then, schedule specific times when you will do the most important and urgent chores, making sure to give yourself breaks about every 45 minutes. Be kind to yourself, accepting that it is completely normal for our functioning to be compromised during this stressful time.
3. Forgetfulness
Many of us are also having difficulty remembering and managing relevant information.
Tasks require what psychologists call working memory, and a 2016 research review found anxiety adversely affects such memory. “Anything that relaxes you will also help with memory, as relaxation engages the parasympathetic nervous system,” said Aleksandra Parpura, a gerontologist in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Good examples of relaxation activities include yoga, mindfulness, exercise and spending time in nature, if possible.
“Doing activities that are inherently engaging and focusing for a given person are particularly helpful,” Parpura said. So, if you are a fan of crossword puzzles, Sudoku, crafts, video games or playing the piano, make sure to find some time to devote to them now.