Humans are simply not wired to tolerate any uncertainty for long.
No wonder, then, that as the coronavirus situation changes by the day, we’re experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety.
A 2016 study at University College London found that stress is maximised when uncertainty is at its highest.
In fact, the study concluded that uncertainty is more stressful than knowing something bad will happen.
According to psychologist Dr Frances Goodhart, your body is probably primed to do something to improve your odds of survival and your nervous system will be constantly pumping out stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which will leave you feeling jittery and anxious.
Here are seven ways to banish the quarantine blues.
Watch a tear-jerker
Swap that rom-com for something less upbeat. A recent study published in the journal Communication Research found that viewing sad or tragic films can actually improve your mood.
“It appears that individuals use tragedies as a way to reflect on the significant relationships in their own life,” says Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, lead study author at Ohio State University.
“It’s as if the film made them think about their own loved ones and sources of happiness, which in turn made them happy.”
Smell the roses
According to research presented to the US Association for Psychological Science, floral scents will make you feel happier and evoke positive memories.
Researchers split the study participants between rooms and found that those in a floral-scented room used three times as many happiness-related words afterwards.
They also indicated that their overall mood was better than those in other rooms.
Plan your next holiday, for after COVID
Everyone knows a break brings pleasure, but just planning the trip can make you feel good too.
A study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life found that anticipating a trip boosts happiness for eight weeks.
Set a goal
Having higher expectations helps us to release stress.
A 2016 study found people who set goals were less anxious, felt better about themselves and found more meaning in their lives than their free-floating counterparts.
“Setting goals boosts mood by increasing the likelihood
of success, which results in better feelings about yourself in general,” says Jennifer Cheavens, study author at Ohio State University.
(Image: Getty)
Let the sunshine in
Too little sunshine can lead to a vitamin D deficiency.
A 2008 study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that vitamin D levels were 14 per cent lower in depressed people.
Go herbal
Happiness can be found in a bottle, according to Dr Sarah Brewer. She recommends taking 5-HTP – £15.98 for 120 caps from Holland and Barrett.
This is a derivative of tryptophan – an amino acid which naturally increases production of the the feelgood hormone serotonin.
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Tune out
Take a break with some truly uplifting music.
“Your mind needs complete distraction to recharge and cope with the tasks you have to do, stopping that swamped feeling,” says Neil Shah, Director of the Stress Management Society.
Try downloading some “binaural beats” relaxation music for free at stress.org.uk.
Shah adds: “It sends sound waves close but different in frequency to each ear.
“Your brain tries to hear the beat frequency between them, which confuses it slightly, giving you a wonderfully relaxed, energised mood.”
