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For Alaskans, the term ‘cabin fever’ is nothing new. Living in the cold, dark, winter months seem pretty normal for us. While some manage to stay busy with activities for the winter others may struggle with anxiety and seasonal affective disorder caused by this season. In addition, COVID-19 restrictions may heighten your anxiety and stress, and thereby ‘cabin fever.’ Noticing signs early can help to minimize the severity and duration. Below are symptoms to watch for:
-Significant decrease in motivation
-Difficulty waking up or getting out of bed
– Increased food cravings, or binge eating
– Feeling hopeless
– being highly impatient
– Feeling extremely sad or depressed
– Having a hard time focusing or concentrating
Although these are the common signs of cabin fever, not everyone will experience the same symptoms; however, many people do report feelings of restlessness and irritability.
Human connection makes daily living more manageable. It helps us to function better when we do connect with others but our usual gatherings, office settings, and social arrangements are all out-of-whack since the COVID-19 pandemic broke. Many people aren’t getting a healthy volume of social interactions.
Self-isolation and limiting activities have become normal practice these days to avoid the spread of infection. Combine this with our cold, dark, winter months, and even more distance from one another is created and contributes to the ‘cabin fever’ feeling.
Pay attention to your symptoms. Recognizing when symptoms last longer than usual can help you act quicker and get help. Mild symptoms of cabin fever can often be overcome by simply taking action with a few of the steps below to feel better. However, if your symptoms are more severe, it is ok to ask for help from a medical professional.
Here are some ways you can beat cabin fever:
1. Go Outdoors.
Daylight hours are getting longer and the sun is lifting higher in the sky by the day. Go out and expose yourself to the sun. With social distancing in mind, going out for daily walks, a jog or ski can lift your mood. This will help you boost your immunity but also help regulate your body’s natural cycles. Twenty to sixty minutes is best but, if the weather doesn’t allow it, even short 5-minute stints are good for your mental wellbeing. A short walk around your yard or neighborhood is better than not going out at all. When your able to enjoy longer excursions, visit the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation website for options near you: https://matsutrails.org/
Alternatively, just get close to a window, open the curtains, and start moving your body. Doing a home workout by the window for 10-15 minutes can do you good as well.
2. Follow a Normal Eating Pattern and Maintain it.
Being cooped up indoors with nothing to do can increase your tendency to overindulge in junk food or skip meals altogether, causing a dip in energy levels. Maintain a properly balanced diet, drink lots of water, and limit fatty and sugary foods to improve your mood, energy levels and even keep you motivated. Mixing it up with regular exercise, for a better outlook and to keep you in shape.
3. Set Goals
Staying at home for the season or the past couple of months can make it hard to track time and accomplish tasks on time. Set weekly achievable goals to focus your attention on the right things. Make sure you also reward yourself for every milestone and goal met.
4. Keep Your Brain Busy
As the old saying goes, “the idle mind is the devil’s playground.” Too much idle time can be draining and demotivating. Watching TV or videos on the internet is not enough to keep your brain active. So, why don’t you challenge yourself with board games, puzzles, and reading books? Or learn a new skill like playing an instrument, learning to crochet or knit, or speak a foreign language. Here are a few options:
Giving your mind interesting tasks to work on will help prevent feelings of isolation and helplessness. Try some of these activities virtually with family or friends to increase social connections and stimulate your minds.
5. Stay Active
Regular physical activity burns pent-up energy from being indoors for too long and allows your body to release “feel-good” hormones. Remember, being ‘active’ doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out, sweaty endeavor. A few short 5-8 minute bursts of exercise activity throughout the day will give you similar results and might be easier to work into your routine.
So don’t let the cold or COVID-19 keep you from living a full life. Get up and start moving to beat cabin fever.
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