Stress Reduction and COVID-19

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Anchor lead: There are measures you can take to relieve your own stress during the pandemic, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Stress is rampant as concerns about COVID-19 accelerate. Karen Swartz, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins, reminds everyone to pay attention to what public health authorities are telling us to do, and then to do it.

Swartz: One of the most important things we can all do is to go into a one day at a time philosophy. I think one of the critical things is to make sure that we’re reducing our stress and maybe the most important thing is that we’re getting enough sleep. :12

Swartz says many providers are capable of remote visits to help.

Swartz: Just make sure that you’re paying attention to your own level of stress. And if you have resources, meaning a therapist, a doctor, someone you trust, or close friend or family member, talk about that.  :12

Swartz notes using that technologies most of us have at our fingertips to reach out to others will go a long way toward interrupting endless cycles of anxiety and worry. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.