There are many things you can do to cope with isolation. Here are just some of the ways to keep your mind and body sharp:

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Meditation

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Brain imaging found that meditation-related anxiety relief was associated with activation of the anterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and anterior insula. These areas of the brain are involved with executive function and the control of worrying.( Basso, J. C., Mchale, A., Ende, V., Oberlin, D. J., & Suzuki, W. A.,2019). So, if you find yourself stressing over things beyond your control, try meditation. It helps you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing that stress. Try combining meditation and exercise with yoga or Tai-Chi ( a form of light Chinese martial arts).

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Physical Activity

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Spending weeks of isolation not getting any exercise will have a detrimental effect on your ability to cope mentally. There are a plethora of benefits that come with exercise, both mentally and physically.

• Exercise increases the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory.

• Physical activity increases the connections between the nerve cells in the brain, which also improves your memory and helps protect your brain against injury and disease.

• Regular physical activity can also lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels. Exercise helps strengthen your heart, lungs, and overall cardiovascular system.

• Exercise results in reductions in various stress indicators like neuromuscular tension, resting heart rate, and stress hormones.

Exercise doesn’t have to be high intensity to be effective. Some moderate activities that might help with depression and anxiety include: dancing, household chores like vacuuming, yoga, walking, gardening, Zumba, and strength-training. A little goes a long way, the most important thing with exercise is consistency and the enjoyment of the activity. (CDC, 2020).

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Scheduling a Routine

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While in isolation it is beneficial to plan out your days to restore a sense of purpose and normality to your daily life. Routine can aid our mental health by helping us to cope with change, to form healthy habits, and to reduce our stress levels. Humans are creatures of habit and creating a daily routine will help establish a sense of normalcy and give us something to look forward to.

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Creating a Piece of Art

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Art enhances cognitive abilities and memory. Activities like painting, sculpting, drawing, and photography can be relaxing and rewarding hobbies that have the ability to lower your stress level and leave you feeling mentally clear and calm (Alban, D. 2018). Drawing and coloring requires a certain amount of concentration that helps keep distracting thoughts that often come with anxiety and loneliness away.

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Listening to Music

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An authoritative review of research performed between 1994 and 1999 reported that music therapy reduced symptoms of depression significantly. Another study in Italy found that the tempo of the music is important as well. Slow or meditative music produced a relaxing effect; faster tempos produced arousal, but immediately after the upbeat music stopped, the subjects' heart rates and blood pressures came down to below their usual levels, indicating relaxation (Harvard Health, 2007).

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Stay Connected Socially

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A landmark study done on the Science of Social connection showed that having a strong social connection leads to 50 percent increase in longevity, improves the immune system and has been shown to have a correlation with lower levels of anxiety and depression (Seppala, Emma. 2014). In the modern age of technology, it is easier than ever to stay connected with friends and family. From video chats to old-fashioned telephone calls, it is important for us as humans to have a way of communicating to help keep us grounded and keep the sense of belonging our bodies crave.