20 Ways to Lower Anxiety During Coronavirus

Photos by Marques Jackson Photography.

By Marnie Kunz

Whether you’re stressed to the max with quarantine life or your anxiety is hitting new highs from all the crazy news stories in 2020, you are not alone - according to Census Bureau statistics, 24 percent of 42,000 respondents reported significant symptoms of major depressive disorder and 30 percent reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder – double those uncovered in 2014. The coronavirus pandemic seems to be affecting young people the most, with 42 percent of people ages 18 to 29 reporting anxiety and 36 percent experiencing depression. The second most-affected age group was people 30 to 39, with 34 percent reporting anxiety and 28 percent depression. If you feel that your anxiety is becoming overwhelming and are in need of mental health support during this unprecedented time, you can reach out to BetterHelp today for online therapy.

As someone with anxiety, I have definitely hit peak levels and suffered from quite a few panic attacks during this coronavirus pandemic, beginning in my small Brooklyn apartment when NYC became the early epicenter of the U.S. outbreak. Through trial, error and research, I compiled these 20 tips to lower your anxiety during coronavirus:

Note, these anxiety tips worked for me, but you may find some work better than others or have your own anxiety tips to add. Feel free to comment below with your input.

Here are 20 ways to lower your anxiety right now:

1. Breathe. Stop and take a few deep breaths. Count to 5 as your breathe in, hold for 5 and then exhale for 5. Repeat a few times and you’ll be surprised how much simple breathing can help you calm down.

2. Meditate. Try an app like Aaptiv for guided meditation exercises you can do any time. I’ve even meditated on the subway with earbuds using this app and found it helpful for anxiety. For the best longterm help for anxiety, set aside 10 or 15 minutes to meditate each morning. Sometimes meditation doesn’t help instantly but over time, you will notice that you’re feeling calmer and will feel better able to handle the stress of coronavirus pandemic life.

3. Call a friend or family member. Call someone you are close to and do a video chat. We often can’t see people in real life, but doing a video call can help you stay connected. Pick someone who is supportive in your life or a mentor you look up to and their positive vibes will help you feel better. Don’t call another anxious friend unless you both want to vent — just make sure you give each other some positive encouragement at the end of the call.

4. Keep a journal. Writing is a great way to let your feelings out, and with a journal you will often times be surprised to find thoughts and feelings you may not even be aware of. Our anxiety can come from bottling up emotions or not knowing how to let them out in a healthy way. A journal and meditation will help you become more self-aware and will help identify your triggers while giving you a healthy coping mechanism.

5. Cook. Cooking is a great way to unwind and focus on the present moment and your senses. I’m not much of a chef but found some great cooking inspiration with MasterClass, which offers a really cool online course catalog with classes in so many subjects taught by the world’s greats — from cooking by Gordon Ramsay to writing taught by Margaret Atwood. You can also check out some of our Runstreet recipes for some healthy recipes to try.

6. Sweat. Working out is one of my favorite ways to lessen anxiety. Go for a run and those endorphins will start pumping, giving you a fast mood boost. Running is also a great way to feel like you’re taking action and accomplishing something instead of just worrying.

7. Work on a goal. A lot of times we can become gripped with anxiety and feel overwhelmed during quarantine life. Think about (or better yet, write out) your goals and what is bothering you. Do you feel like you’re unable to get a job, can‘t make progress in your career, or you want to change your living situation? Write out your main goals (just choose 1 or 2 to start) and then break it down. What one thing can you do right now to make some progress? Send out that resume, sign up for a class, or start budgeting to save for your new place. Taking action will help ease your anxiety. Working on goals is one of my top ways to reduce anxiety and keeps me busy working on my business, which gives me a great distraction from the world’s anxiety-provoking events.

8. Focus on what you can control. This is one of the tough ones because it can feel like so much of the world is out of control right now, with the coronavirus pandemic and political turmoil. But focusing on smaller things you can control — like your running, what you eat, and your personal health — can help you feel more stable and less anxious. If you have difficulty focusing, just pick one thing to focus on - like getting out for a run or walk every day — and that will help ease your anxiety.

9. Keep a gratitude journal. I use a simple app — called Grateful — to quickly jot down 3 things I’m thankful for at the end of each day. You can also use a paper journal or app of your choice. Focusing on what is going well can help us feel less anxious and more grateful.

10. Listen to music. Music can be such a big influence on mood, so choose something chill to help you relax. You can also try listening to nature sounds or a meditation playlist, or create your own playlist on Spotify.

11. Talk to a therapist. Whether you have an ongoing anxiety disorder or you are experiencing anxiety because of the coronavirus pandemic, seeking professional help can really make a difference and help you learn ways to cope and lessen your anxiety. Open Path Collective offers sliding scale therapy. There may also be resources for free counseling in your city during coronavirus so it’s worth Googling. Most therapists are available for phone or video counseling now due to covid-19, making it very convenient for scheduling.

12. Get creative. We don’t have to create masterpieces right now but making some art will help you relax and destress from the toll of daily quarantine life. Pull out some magazines and make a collage, draw something, sketch, paint, or knit. For many of us, it may be the first time in a long while that we actually have the time to work on creative projects, so take advantage of it.

13. Read. There is no great escape like a good book. Check out the latest bestsellers, or peruse the genre of your choice with Amazon audio books, and Kindle book options. Once you find a good one, you won’t want to stop reading.

14. Watch a movie. Similar to a good book, a great movie can help you escape anxiety by entering another realm.

15. Get outside. This one is a surefire way to relieve anxiety. Breathing some fresh air and getting out in nature will soothe your body and mind.

16. Take a bath. Practice some self-care and light a scented candle and unwind in a warm bath. Use relaxing bath scents like lavender to completely relax. Anxiety, what?

17. Unplug. Staying plugged into our social media and news feeds non-stop keeps up awake at night, disrupts sleeping, and also adds a lot of anxiety to our thoughts. If you’re feeling anxious, take a short phone break. If you need your phone on for work, turn off notifications from social media and news apps so you can give your mind a break from the digital overload.

18. Go somewhere different. Yes it’s not an ideal time to travel but you can still explore close to home. Find some new outdoor art exhibits in your city, check out a park you’ve never been to, or go running in a different neighborhood. New experiences can inspire more joy and gratitude in our lives, which is a great anxiety-fighter.

19. Text a friend. If you can’t do a video or phone call, shoot your friend a text to connect when you are feeling anxious. Pick a supportive friend who you are close to and you’ll be able to help each other in times of emotional need. There are also lots of online support groups going on for a boost of social connection. Check out Recovery Dharma for people in recovery from anything from alcohol to sugar or social media addictions, or Turn2Me for general support groups and sharing mental health and coping strategies.

20. Treat yourself. Take a break and give yourself a reward for making it through all this. Treat yourself to those new running shoes you’ve been eyeing, your favorite pizza or a dessert you love. Life has definitely thrown us all for a big loop in 2020, and just making it through is commendable.

How are you holding up with anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic? Share your tips below.

Disclaimer: Runstreet may get commission from affiliate links in this post. This is at no extra cost to you and helps us keep our blog going:).

Resources: Grateful app, Turn2Me support groups, Recovery Dharma support groups, National Alliance on Mental Illness

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, a dog lover, an Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet. She is based in Brooklyn, New York.