With 50% of British adults having experienced anxiety during the pandemic, and the UK about to return to “normal” this September, regular yoga could be our collective way of navigating this uncertain time. Report finds yoga nearly as effective as talking therapy for improving anxiety.
Article by Helena Fazeli, MWY Researcher
Reflecting on the past few months, I realise that I experienced waves of anxiety that seem to have followed the fluctuations of our knowledge about the pandemic. The beginnings of lockdown were filled with gratitude for what seemed to be a temporary “staycation”. However, by mid-April, all the hope we collectively had for a swift return to normalcy were quickly shut down by how much we were learning about the virus – and how much we simply did not know. While my anxiety eventually died down, I’ve noticed little waves resurfacing during the past few weeks. My self-assessed diagnosis? September, transitions and uncertainty.
Covid-19 has been a “psychological earthquake”, impacting the mental health of many. In fact, the pattern of anxiety I described above has been echoed by others. During the beginnings of lockdown, 50% of British adults reported high levels of anxiety. While this number decreased as we got used to life under lockdown, an increase has been noted since the beginning of July, most likely due to the ongoing economic and societal uncertainty, as well as questions about how to best reopen.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions and can be identified through new fears and worries, trouble sleeping, an inability to focus, restlessness, or rapid, shallow breathing. As we begin to re-enter public spaces, the workplace, and schools, a lot of questions are cropping up. How do I stay safe? How can I trust that others are taking the same precautions as I am? What if I infect my loved ones? Maybe you’re worried about the commute. Maybe you’re nervous about working in a busy office. Or maybe you simply don’t want to leave your new “normal”. Whatever is fuelling your anxious thoughts, know that you are not alone. Anxiety is natural, it is how we protect ourselves against the unknown. However, even the smallest amounts of worrying can quickly fuel a downward spiral.
Advice on how to dampen your anxiety is all over the internet, and some good advice can be found here, here, and here (and make sure to familiarise yourself with the government’s “working safely during coronavirus” guidelines, as well as those of your workplace). I am going to focus here on something I mentioned earlier: a lot of our anxiety is linked to uncertainty. When we feel anxious, we seek to be proactive and control a situation, namely, by worrying and stressing about it more. However, in the context of the pandemic, there is, unfortunately, little we can control. That said, we can balance the uncertainty and inconstant character of the pandemic by introducing something that is certain and constant. Including yoga in your daily routine can help reduce anxiety, as evidenced by a recent study led by researchers at NYU. Specifically, by enabling us to become more aware of our thoughts and re-gain control of our breathing, yoga-therapy-for-anxiety allows us to better understand our anxiety and how we react to situations.
The psychological toll of the pandemic is not behind us yet and who knows what the next few weeks/months/years will bring. Instead of trying to control the unpredictability of what lies ahead, let us build up our individual and collective resilience now so that we are better equipped to manage the aftershocks of Covid-19.
