.
"What year is it?"
Regardless of whether you're
under house arrest, or
under quarantine from a
worldwide pandemic,
social isolation is not going to be easy.
If you're not careful,
it can be as deadly as
smoking 15 cigarettes a day!
So, we've put together some expert advice
to help you get through it.
After all, we know you have the
time to watch this video.
Social isolation may be new to you,
but people survive long periods
of it all the time.
Take astronauts, for example.
The longest stretch ever spent in space
by one astronaut was 438 days,
by Russian astronaut Valery Polyakov.
One thing he says helped him survive
the isolation was the strict schedule
of maintaining the spacecraft.
It helped to keep his mind occupied,
and his days structured.
But you don't have a spacecraft to maintain,
so what should you be doing to survive?
Luckily for you,
we've put together a definitive list
of six tips from experts and survivors
to answer all your questions.
It might be tempting to fill your lonely days
by consuming all the endless online
content that's available to you,
but staring at a screen all day,
every day, can be very bad for you.
Not only can it lead to a sedentary lifestyle,
it can also cause vision issues,
headaches, and chronic neck and back pain.
On top of that,
the blue light from digital devices
suppresses the sleep-promoting hormone
melatonin, which could
cause trouble sleeping.
Speaking of sleeping,
remember to open your curtains
and let the sunshine in.
This can help you maintain your sleep-wake
schedule, which can be disrupted when
people are isolated in complete darkness.
Messing up this schedule,
known as your circadian rhythm,
can also lead to depression and fatigue.
You have all the time in the world,
so why not get a little creative with it?
Write something,
paint something,
or finish that rock opera
you've always dreamed of.
Let go of the need to be doing something
"important" all the time,
and just let your mind wander.
It can do wonders for your relaxation,
rejuvenation, and personal growth.
If you're isolated for something
like a quarantine,
you should try to limit the amount of time
you spend checking the news.
Only check reputable sources,
and select one or two times each day
when you check them.
Checking too often can cause
unnecessary stress, and
make the time seem to pass more slowly.
Socially isolated doesn't
have to mean socially disconnected.
In a lot of these situations, you'll still
have access to your phone
and internet communications.
So why not use them?
Research shows that those with
weaker social relationships
are 50% more likely to die
over a given period of time than those with
stronger relationships.
In other words, having social connections
is very important for our well-being.
Positive social support can help us adjust
to challenges and cope with stress.
Reaching out to offer support to others
is a good way to feel less alone.
And it helps you to control your own anxiety
by giving you a sense of purpose.
Social isolation may not
always feel comfortable.
It could make you cry,
laugh, yell, and dwell on things
that your mind usually wouldn't have time for.
But that might not be a bad thing.
Let this be an opportunity to push your
boundaries of awareness,
of time, of yourself,
and of your relationships.
You may be able to leave this social isolation
with a greater appreciation for
all the things in your life
that you used to take for granted.
So there you have it.
Now you know how to make it through this
tough time with at least a
little bit of your sanity intact.
And hey,
why not share these tips with your friends?
Because above all else, it's important
to stay connected with others
during a challenge like this.
Now that you've survived social isolation,
it's time to return to the real world.
If everyone else was also living in
social isolation that whole time,
the real world might look a lot
different than you remember.
But,
whether the economy is in shambles, or
the world has run out of toilet paper.
We'll have a video
to help you survive whatever awaits you.