With COVID-19 only spreading faster, many government officials have mandated that citizens stay inside and isolate for the sake of their physical health, but how does this effect our mental health? Many people have switched to a work-from-home style format, as well as many universities switching to ...

With COVID-19 only spreading faster, many government officials have mandated that citizens stay inside and isolate for the sake of their physical health, but how does this effect our mental health?

Many people have switched to a work-from-home style format, as well as many universities switching to an online style, distance learning format. This gives people no choice but to stay indoors and complete their daily tasks in the confides of their own rooms to help limit the spread. However, although many of us had that one coworker that got on our last nerves or a group partner that would talk about anything other than the task at hand, these social interactions were vital to our psychological health.

In quarantine, there are many people who live alone who will now be faced with increased loneliness, causing for increased feelings of depression, cognitive decline, and poor sleep habits. Some of these conditions can lead to becoming long term and have life-altering damage.

To help keep your mental health in check, psychologists recommend physical exercise, meditation and even going outside for some fresh air to help boost your spirits. In addition to keeping up with social interaction, make sure to check in on your friends to make sure they are staying home and staying healthy during the quarantine. With technology at our fingertips, we have the ability to call and video chat our friends and family daily to keep a social connection with them.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov and check back on our site regularly for updates.