Managing Cabin Fever through Companion Care
Cabin fever is used to describe a series of negative emotions and distressing Companion Care sensations individuals might face if they have been feeling isolated or lonely for some time.
There might be times when an individual might find it difficult to leave their homes such as during times of sickness or bad weather.
They might feel fine at first, however, long periods of confinement and staying in their home can eventually lead to feelings linked with cabin fever such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, and stress.
Cabin fever is more likely to occur in times of social distancing and self-isolating during a pandemic. Here, it is essential to understand that it isn’t a psychological disorder. However, the distress that comes with it is real and can lead to several other symptoms that can be difficult to manage. Luckily, companion care services in the UK have been successful in treating symptoms of cabin fever.
Tips on Managing Cabin Fever Through Companion Care
Following are some of the ways you can get hold of your cabin fever symptoms. If you have hired a companion care service in the UK, you can communicate with your carer these below-listed needs as well.
Spend Time Outdoors
Research has proven how spending time outdoors is good for a person’s mental health and well-being. Moreover, not only does spending time outdoors boosts a person’s cognitive function, but also helps to significantly improve their mood, boost emotions of well-being, and also helps reduce stress.
However, if being outdoors is not an option due to various reasons, try opening your windows in order to let the outdoor breeze in. Purchasing fragrant or fresh cut flowers is also a good idea, as well as growing herbs or indoor plants.
Maintain a Social Life
It is important to maintain your social life, even if you are confined indoors. Maintaining a social life doesn’t necessarily mean going to the movies or going to a restaurant to dine out. However, you can still “meet up” with them, just in a different way.
You can stay connected to your closed ones using real-time video streaming services, such as FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype. Video chatting can help a person stay in contact with the “outside world” whilst staying indoors. It can even make their small home feel a whole lot bigger.
Moreover, staying connected with other people who are in the same situation as you are can also help you feel that you’re not alone. Sharing your thoughts, emotions and struggles can alleviate your stress as well.
Get Creative
Staying indoors is a great opportunity to get creative and learn new skills. For instance, learning to play an instrument, painting, staking up pictures to make a scrapbook, or even learn how to cook! Using this time being spent indoors is an ideal way to reconnect with creative activities that you might have had to put on hold due to your busy schedule. Spending time on creative activities will not only keep you occupied but will also give you a sense of purpose.
Being engaged in small activities you enjoy doing will definitely help ward off feelings of restlessness or boredom. It can also make time pass much quicker.
Workout and Exercise
Studies have shown that individuals who exercise regularly are less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than those individuals who don’t. Apart from being physically fit, exercise also helps lower our body’s stress hormones, such as cortisol. Moreover, it also releases endorphins from our brains, which are neurochemicals that can greatly enhance our mood.
If going out for a run or going to the gym isn’t an option for you, then you can easily follow strength training regimes for your home workout. You won’t really require any special equipment or a trainer for strength training either. Having dumbbells or resistance bands is enough to get started. Or, you can even do several basic exercises yourself, such as pushups, squats, planks, lunges, and so on.
However, it would be wise to watch tutorials beforehand to prevent injury.
Limit Carbs
When you’re staying in, you will more likely be intaking comfort foods. However, due to carbs, you will end up feeling tired easily and more lazy and sluggish, which will make cabin fever’s symptoms worse. Thus, instead of eating foods full of carbs, it is recommended to opt for meals that are rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean protein. This way, you will surely feel more energetic and positive than before.
Furthermore, it is also recommended to totally avoid or limit Alcohol. This is because alcohol is a depressant itself, and can even worsen a case of cabin fever. By limiting alcohol consumption and opting for water and juices instead, you’ll stay hydrated all day and feel comparatively better as well.
Write a Journal
While staying indoors alone, your thoughts can take the best of you. Writing a journal can be therapeutic for most people. Writing every day can help you speak out your fears, anxieties, lows, as well as highs. This will make you process difficult emotions better.
Set Goals Every Day
Being stuck at home can make you feel as if every day is the same. Moreover, you might feel stressed out and bored as you have nothing to do the whole day and nothing to look forward to. Making a routine will help you cope better with feelings of anxiety and stress, as having a proper routine each day will keep you on the right track. Moreover, a routine every day will surely keep you busy, socially connected, and mentally and physically healthy as well.
Thus, you should opt for setting daily and weekly goals, and also track your progress. Rewarding yourself for completing each goal would be a great idea as well!
Get Quality Sleep
Feelings of isolation can cause sleep problems in many individuals. Moreover, people do not get enough sleep each day, while others sleep too much. Both are, however, bad for our mental health. Good quality sleep is 7–8 hours each night. Make sure to have a good night’s sleep every day, as not sleeping enough can lead to sleep insomnia. Lack of sleep can further worsen symptoms of cabin fever.
