Social isolation can affect people in more than one way. From high anxiety levels to physical strains, practicing mindfulness through meditation can help. 

Everyone across America is facing the difficult outcomes of Covid-19. California, specifically the Bay Area, was reported to have the most cases therefore prolonging our quarantine. Quarantine has made many San Jose residents lose jobs, begin virtual learning, and go into self-isolation. The outcome of many hours spent alone and online can cause a strain on your mind and body. 

When practicing mindfulness, you have to focus solely on yourself and understand what you’re feeling. Meditation will help enhance self-awareness, leading you to understand yourself and your mental state better. Once you’re able to find peace within yourself, all the anxiety and busy thoughts that haunt your mind throughout the day will disappear. A meta-analysis study found that meditation can decrease anxiety; this was notably effective on those with the highest levels of generalized anxiety disorder. 

A little bit of relaxing piano music and inner-peace can benefit how you view the world around you. Different forms of meditation can help your mind see the world in a positive light. Mindfulness meditation is proven in 3,500 adults to have improved depression. Completing meditation exercises like the 4-7-8 breathing exercise, in which you breathe in while counting to four, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale counting to eight, can reduce negative thoughts and emotions. 

Back pain is also an increasing problem that develops within children and adults who sit in their chairs and bed all day in front of a screen. Due to COVID-19 making everything virtual, it can’t be helped. To alleviate the aching pain, during meditation, take slow and deep breaths. A good rule to remember while practicing your breathing technique is inhaling to a count of five and exhaling to a count of five. Slow breathing helps back muscles unclench, which will release tension in your back. 

It can be hard to focus on your computer screen all day. You may zone out or get distracted by other electronics and surrounding sounds. This being said, those who regularly meditate are able to have a greater attention span than those without any meditating experience. Meditation can even regulate brain patterns into not excessively worrying and keeps your mind from wandering. 

If you ever feel bored or just need a break from all the screen time you spend in quarantine, consider meditation and remember its benefits.