The importance of mindfulness during uncertain times

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As COVID-19 makes its way across the globe, many people are left feeling uneasy or anxious about the future.

According to Robert Israel, M.D., an internal medicine physician at USA Health Mobile Diagnostic Center, it is especially important to try to limit stress, which can cause decreased immune competence, increased inflammation, increased blood sugar, increased risk of heart attack or stroke, and increased risk of infection.

“This is a time of great anxiety, with so many unknowns and so little we can control,” Israel said. “The stressful part of a pandemic is not unlike the stress of any unpleasant life event. Our brains are in overdrive, and we have so much static noise.”

According to Israel, practicing mindfulness – a therapeutic technique achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment – is key. “Mindfulness has been shown to improve measures of immune function,” he said. “It has similar benefits to exercise and a healthy diet for immune function, thereby reducing the risk of disease. I recommend all three together. Mindfulness, exercise, and healthy eating are a perfect combination.”

Practicing mindfulness not only allows you to tune out the noise, it also gives your restless brain a chance to relax, focus, turn off and recuperate. “For me, that involves any of a number of approaches,” Israel said. “It can be a beautiful morning or evening walk, seeing the trees and the occasional hawk or falcon just sitting there considering his view,” he said. “If it is a walk, it involves no thinking about yesterday or next week or bad things happening in the world. It involves only the walk, the sensation of the wind on my ears, the breath, the fall of my foot, the clouds crossing the sky. “

Quieting a noisy mind involves two tasks: turning down the volume and turning off the input. “It has been surprisingly easy to quit listening to cable news, and, for me at least, print journalism fills my needs much better. I can pick and choose what works for me when it works for me,” he said.

“Picking the friends and associates I talk to and listen to is possible to some extent and helps as well. I particularly avoid those who are always picking at things politically, whether I agree or disagree with their views,” he said.

Israel said by establishing a mindful practice, it is possible to filter all of the extraneous noise and stress and just focus on the here and now, which is all that really matters. “The what-ifs are impossible to deal with and only increase our stress,” Israel said. “Right this minute, I am not in distress physically, I have enough to eat, the room is set at the right temperature, and I actually feel pretty good. What could be better?”

He added that starting a mindful practice during a pandemic may not be the easiest time. “For newbies, finding a good mindfulness practice will require a little effort, and online resources are excellent,” he said. “There are any number of online courses that are quite good and community resources, as well. I recommend reading ‘Full Catastrophe Living’ by Jon Kabat-Zinn.”

Israel recommends trying mindful moments frequently throughout the day. “Try taking three or four deep breaths, paying attention to the breaths going in and going out, paying intentional attention and bringing the mind back over and over to the breath when it strays to COVID-19 or the many effects of our current crisis on our lives,” he said. “It gets easier and easier as I practice, and having that control and that ability is incredibly relaxing, incredibly sustaining and regenerative.”

Israel also joined Facebook live with WKRG’s Cherish Lombard to discuss this topic.