Pandemic stress

Feeling a bit more stressed than usual? You are not alone! 

Practically everyone is feeling ‘pandemic burn-out’. As such, many experts are encouraging us to look after our mental health. This means taking time to relax. This is especially important for children. They need social interactions to help them grow socially and emotionally.

Typically, when humans feel stressed, our bodies respond by going into “fight or flight” mode. Here, our bodies make chemicals that help us quickly avoid threats. But if our bodies are exposed to stress for a long time, our stress reactions can become harmful. This is how stress makes it easier for us to become sick.

Some tricks that seem to help manage our stress levels include going on nature walks, getting good sleep, and, importantly, talking with others about our feelings.

So, during COVID, let's take care of each other and follow the science to stay well and protected!

The following are a bunch of resources that you might be interested in reading more about:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7510529/ 
https://www.sickkids.ca/en/news/archive/2021/impact-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-child-youth-mental-health/ 
https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/article?contentid=3883&language=english 
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/1/e042871 
https://www.npr.org/2019/10/23/772789491/how-to-help-a-child-struggling-with-anxiety 
https://www.anxietycanada.com/learn-about-anxiety/anxiety-in-children/ 
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/mental-health.html