How Acupuncture and TCM Help to Combat Stress and Anxiety During COVID-19

Has Your Anxiety Spiked During COVID-19?

Acupuncture and TCM Can Help Ease the Stress of the Pandemic

Achieving an optimal level of work/life balance has always been a full-time job in itself, but the new normal of COVID-19 (stay-at-home orders, mandatory masks in public, etc.) has added numerous variables to this equation for everyone. Whether you’re a parent who has had to add “full-time eLearning teacher” to your LinkedIn profile, or someone with 25 new quarantine hobbies to master in between Zoom meetings, the isolation and uncertainty of this time is causing a major uptick in stress and anxiety levels across the world.

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, once we understand the root cause of anxiety, we typically call upon acupuncture as a primary source of treatment. In this case, acupuncture works by stimulating receptors in the body, which send signals to your brain to release endogenous opioids and other feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins. These chemicals circulate through the body, helping you to feel more calm, happy, and centered. When you’re in a calm state of mind, your muscles relax and you have increased blood flow throughout the body. This optimal circulation delivers increased oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, which can stimulate healing and increase vitality. In this way, acupuncture activates the body’s own biological process to self-heal.

But what can you do to combat anxiety when acupuncture is not an immediate option? While it might be tempting to reach for an extra glass of wine to cope (and get through numerous virtual happy hours), alcohol consumption can sometimes pose an anxiety issue of its own, adding further strain to an already taxed immune system. So-called “comfort food” can also lead to a number of different adverse side effects, from fatigue and weight gain to high cholesterol and blood pressure. Below, we’ve assembled a few key recommendations to help you manage stress and anxiety levels in a more healthy, balanced way until we can see you again in the office starting June 1.

Top 3 Ways to Manage Anxiety During Covid-19

Establish a routine. This habit is especially important if you’re working from home. It may be tempting to hit that snooze button or to do work in your bathrobe. However, establishing a routine as simple as showering first thing in the morning can do wonders for your mental health.

Start by determining a set time to get up every morning. It’s even beneficial to do your hair and/or makeup in order to establish a difference between your resting time and your working time. We also recommend writing out a to-do list for each day. By keeping productive, you will maintain a sense of accomplishment and normalcy that can help bring you out of that state of anxiety.

Spend time in nature at least once a day. Being cooped up in your house or apartment can take its toll, both mentally and physically. It’s important to change up the scenery and be in nature if you can. The fresh air and sunlight (or cloud cover) will provide instant relief. If you don’t have immediate access to nature, it’s still beneficial to take a quick walk around the block or even around your building.

Implement positive self-talk. During this time of instability, when information and news change by the hour, we can also feel a wide range of emotions each day. It’s not uncommon to go from happy to sad to frustrated to anxious within a 24-hour period. It’s also easy to be extra hard on ourselves, whether it stems from the guilt of not doing as much as we think we should, overeating, not exercising enough, etc.

Instead of giving in to the voice of your inner critic, this is an ideal time to practice self-compassion. Sometimes, that can be as simple as listening to that other voice inside, the one that reminds you things are going to be OK and that you are here for a reason. This time of quarantine can be challenging, yes, but it also offers us a chance to self-reflect, go within, and identify our purpose. With the right mindset, it can be a transformative time for healing and enlightenment.

Struggling with anxiety or depression? Herb + Ōhm provides acupuncture and herbal medicine services with specific protocols which are designed to treat stress and anxiety. We’d love to see you for an appointment when we reopen in June. You can book your consultation today!