The impact of the pandemic on our relationship with food, sedentary lifestyles and health is undeniable. It's a difficult situation to manage, but it's possible! Read the article by our Psychologist, Dr. Rita Almeida.
Emotions in the pandemic
Scientific and empirical evidence has shown very clearly that
the pandemic situation we are experiencing has a very significant negative impact on everyone's mental health. Manifestations such as insomnia, irritability, depressed mood, and anxiety - generated by the fear of contagion, concern for friends and family, the impact on the economy, etc. - appeared in more than half of the Portuguese.
Pandemic Fatigue is a concept that has emerged in the "covid-19 era" and which concerns
the overload felt by the changes in our daily lives, which require so much effort to adapt, and which weakens us all.
The impact on our relationship with food, sedentary lifestyles and health
Confinement in conjunction with greater emotional fragility
reactive/natural to the pandemic encourages less healthy lifestyles:
- there's a tendency to eat a less balanced diet (people tend to compensate by using what's most accessible - food);
- and the propensity to decrease physical activity (more sedentary lifestyles, less motivation in general).
While this is true for people without previous disorders, it is also more evident for people with eating disorders and obesity. Recent studies show that the pandemic has exacerbated the risk factors associated with the onset and exacerbation of these conditions, as people are exposed to higher levels of stress, with a shorter list of pleasure-generating activities.
While we are more likely to adopt a less
healthy lifestyle, it is doubly painful in these circumstances:
- makes us physically more vulnerable, more exposed to disease in general, including Covid-19, with overweight/obesity being one of the risk factors for developing serious disease, especially in younger age groups;
- enhances psychological fragility, making us less positive, less confident, with weakened self-esteem, and with a more exacerbated sense of failure and hopelessness.
In other words, the less healthy our daily lives are, the more anxious and fragile we are, which in turn fuels behaviors that are detrimental to our overall health.
Emotional Hunger - in which the person seeks to reward and
comfort themselves through food (only to immediately feel guilty and unable to deal with themselves and the situation) - sets in and is reinforced. Being aware of what we are experiencing and understanding how we function and respond internally are essential steps in the demanding task of interrupting and reversing this cycle.
Facing this situation means accepting that we can't control the evolution of the
pandemic (apart from following the rules and guidelines of the health authorities), and at the same time channeling our energies into what we can control - namely trying to maintain as healthy a lifestyle as possible. Let's remember that this is a temporary situation. With a more balanced daily life, we promote our psychological well-being and a healthier body.
In the midst of this situation, what can we do?
Maintaining balance in these circumstances is not easy, but it is possible. There are some
strategies we can use to keep our emotional life in balance and consequently keep our body, our weight and our self-esteem preserved. The main one is the concept of Self-Care, which consists of actively engaging in activities that we choose to do and that promote our well-being and health (physical and psychological). How?
- Make time for yourself. It's not selfish, it's crucial for increasing efficiency, energy and confidence, while preventing and reducing stress and anxiety levels;
- Make a list of everything that makes you feel good, relaxed and happy within the constraints you are experiencing. It should be a priority to make it a routine and it must not be jeopardized by other tasks (work and family demands). This list should not include the consumption of caloric foods with no nutritional value, alcoholic drinks or other harmful substances;
- Seek a balance between family and professional life - avoiding feelings of guilt and failure, assuming the limitations inherent in the context;
- Strengthen your relationships, talk about what worries you. It's natural to feel anguish, sadness, frustration and tiredness;
- Prioritize sleep - your bedtime should be respected and there should be a period of relaxation before you go to sleep. For example, read/meditate - avoiding screens (which inhibit melatonin production) - in order to "switch off" peacefully. You shouldn't use the moments before you fall asleep to reflect on your worries - take that moment to another time of the day;
- Exercise regularly - physical activity helps regulate the body clock and sleep cycles, as well as promoting well-being and being a powerful weapon for dealing with anxiety/stress. It also promotes maintaining a balanced weight, reinforcing a positive self-image;
- Make healthy choices. Aim for balanced meals, regular physical activity and good sleeping habits. A healthy lifestyle will improve your mood and health and make you better able to cope with today's demands, making you more physically and emotionally resilient.
It's perfectly normal to feel unable to do it alone. Ask
for help. The Teresa Branco Institute offers integrated and
specialized support, through an interdisciplinary team that embraces all the dimensions involved so that you can stay healthy or become healthy. Today more than ever, take care of yourself.
