For even the most laid back of us, this is a time where it is difficult not to feel worried about the future. There is an air of uncertainty and worry at the moment, and you may have found yourself feeling increasingly stressed or consumed by worries about the future. With empty supermarket shelves and social media scaremongering, it is no surprise that for anyone who suffers with anxiety, this is a difficult time. 

From fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones, to a change in sleep and eating patterns, difficulty sleeping or concentrating and worsening of chronic health problems - stress during an infectious disease outbreak is rife. 

But what causes this anxiety? Unpredictability around not knowing what will happen next and having to rely on others for information, paired with the threat to our own health and the health of people we care about are all triggers. 

The way we then react can compound this. Seeking reassurance by constantly checking news feeds, suppressing our worries by trying to distract ourselves and then engaging in a “what if?” style of thinking.

This all combines to become a vicious circle. So, what techniques can we employ to stop anxiety around coronavirus affecting our sleep?

1. Limit exposure to the news and social media. In a time like this it is easy to lose hours staring at screens, watching as things unfold and change. However, it is not going to help your anxiety. Instead, decide how much time each day you’re going to allow yourself for updates. For example, 15 minutes of news in the morning and 15 in the afternoon. Also ensure you’re limiting your time scrolling on your phone through social media. Make sure you only look at trusted resources, select a couple and limit yourself to these only.

2. Stick to the guidelines. Although guidelines are always changing, it’s important to educate yourself on these so you can protect yourself and those around you. Again, ensure you’re only visiting trusted resources for this information.

3. Manage your worry. Anxiety feeds on uncertainty and lack of control, but there are more healthy ways you can ‘control’ your worry. Every day, allocate a 20 minute window of time to writing down everything you’re worried about. This is a great way of telling your mind that you are not ignoring your worries, however silly you may think they are, but rather you’re acknowledging them at a time that is suitable for you. Always use a pen and paper, as this is a much more effective way to ‘empty’ your mind than using a digital device. Once this 20 minute window is up, move on, do something you enjoy and if any thoughts or worries pop up simply make a note of them and then allow yourself to think about them during your allocated time later on. This technique will teach your mind to be more proactive about when you worry, so the worries are not constantly intruding. 

4. Problem Solve. Each day look at your list and decide which worries you do have control over and then problem solve and make a plan for them. This is useful when your mind is wandering again as you can revisit your plan to reassure yourself that you are not totally out of control.

5. Acknowledge your “what if?” worries. These type of worries are really common, and are where our mind wanders off, thinking of all the possible worst-case scenarios that may happen. We indulge in this type of worry as it helps us feel like we are covering all bases, and somehow preparing ourselves for the worst. However, in reality, we are actually just making ourselves imagine a situation that we don’t want to happen, which of course negatively affects how we feel. Take note of these worries, write them down during your allocated time window, but label them as hypothetical. They have not yet happened and may never happen, so avoid treating them like facts. 

6. Stay mindful. Mindfulness is an excellent technique for dealing with these worries. You are NOT what you think. Your thoughts are simply opinions you have of yourself, others and the world which are based on your experience, this does not make them facts. Therefore, if you can learn how to simply notice the thought is there, but choose not to engage in it, then you can reduce your stress levels. For example, if your thought is “What if I get the virus?” Observe this thought, acknowledge it is normal to think like this and be kind to yourself, but then let it go. If you’ve made a plan to avoid getting the virus as far as you can, then there is no point in dwelling on this.

7. Prioritise quality sleep. Do not worry if you are not getting eight hours of sleep. The main focus should be quality and not quantity. Please see here for more tips around how to improve sleep or join the FREE Sleep Webinar for further advice. 

8. Get outside as much as you can, whilst always following government regulations. If you have a garden or open space nearby, then try and get out every day. You need daylight for mood and your body clock. As a minimum, make sure all windows and blinds are fully open at all times during the day.