Are you experiencing corona depression?
2020.05.01
Prolonged days of people being asked to stay home, refraining from going out, businesses
being asked to shut down because of the spread of novel coronavirus infections, and when you
turn on the TV, it’s all about coronavirus. Are you feeling stressed?
The worry that you or someone close to you may become infected, or that you may suddenly
face severe illness, and the financial hardship of losing your job or losing your income, may
make you feel even worse. Terms such as “corona exhaustion”, “corona blues,” and “corona
depression” are frequently heard.
Due to this situation, Japanese Society of Mood Disorders is introducing “Tips for maintaining
mental health in the global pandemic of a novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19)” on its
website.
This time, I’d like to present some points.
“Body clock” useful for mental health
First of all, as a major premise, one of the “most important brain mechanisms that help us to
stay calm” is the body clock. The body clock is a biological rhythm that perceives morning and
night and regulates various functions such as sleep, body temperature, and blood pressure.
A domestic and overseas study reports that when the body clock moves smoothly, we feel
comfortable, and conversely, when the body clock is disturbed, it leads to the deterioration of
physical and mental conditions, such as depression, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
What is the key to adjusting the body clock?
Japanese Society of Mood Disorders introduces the following ideas to adjust the body clock.
● Wake up at the same time every day
● Create daily routines
● Spend a certain amount of time outdoors every day (avoid crowded situations)
● If you can’t go out, spend at least 2 hours in the sunlight by a window
● Exercise at the same time every day, if possible
● Eat at the same time every day
● Interact with people through video phone and voice calls
● Avoid taking a nap. If you feel sleepy, then take a nap for less than 30 minutes.
● Don’t expose yourself to bright light (especially blue light) at night (avoid light from PC or smartphone)
● Go to bed at the same time every day
If mental illness exists, the body clock is likely to be disturbed
If you are not commuting and have switched to working from home, or if your school is closed
and your family has been staying at home for a long time, the rhythm of your life will be
disturbed. It’s important to organize yourself.
On top of that, you need to consciously take time to move your body and interact with people
around you.
It is also known that people with mental illnesses such as depression are more likely to be
affected by a disturbed body clock, so stay aware.
And if you are worried that you can’t manage yourself, you feel depressed, and you have
symptoms like “not sleeping,” “not feeling like doing anything,” “not having an appetite,” it’s
important enough that you may wish to consult with a specialist.
Online medical treatment is possible even at the first visit
Online medical care is usually only available to patients who are on follow-up status, but as part
of measures for novel coronavirus infections, it is now possible for patients who are newly
diagnosed to receive online medical care.
However, due to the policy of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, it is not possible to
prescribe drugs such as antidepressants, sleeping pills, and anxiolytics during online medical
examination on the first visit. If you need to have prescription medicine, you will need to visit the
hospital again.
With online medical care, it’s possible to have a medical examination at home. If you are
concerned about your mental health, please feel free to contact us.