Movement and the Pandemic: How it Feels
This year has been incredibly stressful, overwhelming, and for some traumatic. The pandemic has increased feelings of fear, disconnection and isolation. Individuals and families who were already dealing with anxiety, depression, and trauma are hit especially hard as the uncertainty around COVID-19 can exacerbate these feelings. Some might be thinking, “this will never end,” “will we ever get back to normal?” “I don’t feel safe,” “who can I trust?” “myself or someone I love might die.” Children and teens might have similar feelings and also wonder about how this affects their school and social activities. Parents with children not only need to manage their own stress during this time, but also need to be available to reassure their children and ease their anxiety. Juggling work, family life, personal self-care and the needs of your children is extremely difficult and can feel impossible at times.
The physical isolation of quarantine can create disconnection and isolation in the body. We are used to constant social interactions and leaving the house without worry to attend school functions, religious institutions, restaurants, sporting events, concerts, and other social gatherings. Our bodies and minds enjoy new experiences and are used to this movement between events. More time inside can make us feel physically and mentally trapped.
What can individuals and families do to manage the stress and feel some sense of freedom in our mind and body? Simple movement activities both indoors and outdoors every day can help you cope with some of these burdens. The following movement activity can be done individually or as a family.
This movement activity begins with a simple neck roll to release tension. You can do this sitting or standing.
Slowly roll your neck in one direction, noticing where you hold the most tension and then move back and forth in that area for a little longer. Make sure to take deep breaths while doing this and then roll your neck in the other direction.
Nod your head up and down slowly, so that your chin hits your chest and then faces up towards the ceiling/sky. As you lift your head up, say something you are hopeful or grateful for outloud. Try lifting your arms up in a sweeping motion while lifting up your head.
Next, move your head from right to left and think about something that is interfering in your life that you want to get rid of. Say what you want to eliminate from your life out loud while shaking your head. Push that energy away with your arms during this movement.
Go through these steps a few times and notice how your body feels while demonstrating the movements.
This activity will help you focus on the positive aspects in your life and push away negative energy holding you back. It also gets your body moving and will help you release tension and stress. Stay tuned for my next post, “Movement and the Pandemic: What to do?” for a few more ideas.