Sydney covid lockdown: Tips for improving your mental health

With millions of Sydneysiders stuck in lockdown, one expert has shared her advice on the two main things you can do each day to boost your mental health.

As covid case numbers continue to rise in Greater Sydney, hopes are fading that lockdown will be lifted this Friday.

As the region pushes through its third week living under stay-at-home orders, uncertainty continues to linger over just how long restrictions could last.

For many living in lockdown, the restrictions come hand-in-hand with increased isolation, loneliness, a loss of structure or routine, frustration and fear about the future.

While the mental toll of the pandemic can be overwhelming for many, Rachael Murrihy, a clinical psychologist and director of the Kidman Centre UTS, says there are simple steps we can follow each day to survive lockdown.

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The uncertainty surrounding the Greater Sydney lockdown is taking a toll on mental health. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

“The main thing is to stay in the now and control what you can control. Having a routine gives us comfort and it gives us stability,” Dr Murrihy told news.com.au

“As human beings, when we have tough times in our life, we come back to our routine for comfort and stability.

“You can take charge of what you can control through your routine and do a number of things throughout your day that give you structure and predictability.

“Each day you want to be doing something that gives you mastery, like cleaning out the cupboard or exercise. And one thing that brings you pleasure, like watching a movie, having a coffee and a chat on the phone.

“Social connection is so important. We know that talking to others makes us feel better, so it’s about reaching out. If you can do that to someone who might need some help, we know people get a benefit out of that.”

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Exercise is a proven mental health booster. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

The temptation to comfort eat during lockdown is something to avoid, while sticking to a regular bedtime can help provide a sense of structure to the day.

The 24/7 news cycle and seemingly endless reporting on the pandemic can add to feelings of anxiety and stress surrounding the lockdown, so remember to switch off if it becomes too much.

“If you’re starting to feel in any way like you’re feeling overwhelmed by this information, the more we fixate on our fears, the more the anxiety grows, so limit your exposure to the media,” Dr Murrihy said.

“So you might not want to be sitting through (the Premier’s) run down at 11am each day. You might want to not have the news running in the background all the time. Or you might want to limit your exposure to anxious discussions with people and just say, ‘I’ve heard enough about this today’ and try to move on.

“If you’re feeling a bit shaky, the more you can distract yourself, the better and the more you can seek the comfort of routine, the better.”

Adding to the stress of Greater Sydney’s Lockdown 2.0 is the sense we’ve all been here before, Dr Murrihy said.

“The problem is the novelty is well and truly over now and there’s just a real sense of lockdown fatigue,” she said.

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Covid cases numbers continue to rise as people in Greater Sydney push through their third week in lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

“I think there’s anger around the notion that with better vaccination this might have been avoided.

“I think one of the biggest issues is that the numbers are going in the wrong direction.

“Our human brains don’t do well with uncertainty, we like to be able to predict what is going on in our world and what is going to happen next.

“When we see the numbers going in the wrong direction and jumping as they are, that’s inherently very stressful. So then we can fall into the trap of catastrophising.

“So a lot of it is around that unpredictability and uncertainty and really just the fatigue that this has gone on for a really long time now.”

While learning new skills and taking up new hobbies in lockdown can be healthy, it’s important to not give in to pressures to have a productive lockdown.

“I think what this is really about is people trying to take control and build some structure into their day, and from that perspective, it’s good and healthy,” she said.

“But if you’re looking at the Joneses next door and trying to keep up, then it can become an unhealthy thing. So it’s all about moderation and balance and doing what’s best for you.”