COVID-19 depression and anxiety: How to take care of your mental health
Stress, anxiety, hopelessness the emotions that defined the pandemic and how to cope with them. Listen - 08:36
Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Chris Madden/Getty Images
To say that the past year has done a number on our collective mental health is an understatement. The coronavirus pandemic, high rates of unemployment, racial inequality and a divisive, at times hostile, political climate have driven stress way up among Americans. More than 40% of people reported having symptoms of depression and anxiety in January of 2021, compared to just 11% between January and June, 2019.
Sleep is probably one of the most important aspects of health. Although everyone loves to sleep, most people don’t get enough of it. Unfortunately, most adults know what it feels like when restful sleep is lacking.
Along with eating, sleep is a biological requirement. A plethora of scientific evidence touts the health benefits of good sleep.
1 However, many people are unable to get that restful night’s sleep they so badly need.
The basic recipe for good sleep consists of:
Maintaining a consistent routine of going to sleep and waking up around the same time every day, even on the weekends.