As the stress of the pandemic spills over into the stress of the Presidential elections, health experts are reminding people to take a break and take care of themselves.
Doctor Shilagh (SHY-lah) Mirgain with UW-Health says steps towards good mental health can be as simple as remembering to do simple tasks.
“Make sure you’re getting outside and exercising, making sure you’re getting good sleep, eating well, doing enjoyable activities, you know all of those are really vital things to be doing.”
She says that you shouldn’t feel ashamed of being stressed out and worried. Just find time to work on things when you can, and keep in touch with friends and family.
“Wellness is a direction not a destination and it’s built on those small daily steps we’re taking so just think about one thing you can do each day.”
She says it’s very important to get enough sun as we enter the winter months, and to reach out to family and friends to stay in touch. That’s both to help ourselves, and to keep contact with other people who might be in need.
“We’re doing for ourselves, but also for one another, and we need to support each other as we go into the holidays, into this long winter season ahead where our typical coping strategies aren’t going to be available.”
