Cabin fever symptoms and coping strategies

Our weekly Team NLP blog where you will find inspiration and actionable advice on how to build healthy habits, resilience, and connections in our unprecedented times.

As I write this week the sun is shining and it feels quite spring like outside.  A welcome relief after the snowy spell.  I usually run every day and it was interesting to notice the change in my mood when I couldn't get out for my normal exercise.  I have been reading alot about the term 'cabin fever' and thought it was a good topic for us this week.  Cabin fever is the term for a common mental and psychological reaction to being isolated or confined for an extended period of time.  It isn't a specific diagnosis but rather a mixture of symptoms that can create a perfect storm.  If you are experiencing cabin fever as a result of social distancing or self quarantine or not being able to get outside for whatever reason then there are ways to combat the feelings.  

 Not everyone suffering from cabin fever will experiencing the same symptoms.  Many report feeling intensely irritable or restless.  Other effects are:

• Decreased motivation
• Difficulty waking
• Food cravings
• Feeling exhausted 
• Lack of patience
• Trouble concentrating 
• Lethargy

How to cope?

Taking active steps may be enough to help you feel better.  Experiment with some of these:

Get out of the house

Even a quick stroll can help you feel better quickly as it immediately changes your state or how you feel.  Exercise releases endorphins creating a natural high.  And, if you can't leave the house even looking at the view from a window and starting to move around can have a similar impact.  I did some online exercise classes during the snow and it really worked and was worth feeling rather stiff the next day!

Maintain healthy eating patterns

You may be fed up of reading about the value of good food but it really does increase our energy levels and motivation.  There is a massive temptation when we are stuck at home to over indulge in junk food.  So make sure you have healthy food and snacks in the house so you always have a choice to eat well.

Set goals

NLP'ers are encouraged to have a focus on life and to set goals no matter what else is going on.  Use this time while stuck in the same place to set yourself daily and weekly goals.  Track your progress towards completion.  These goals can be of any size....the importance is to have a focus.  For me getting exercise 6 days out of 7 has been my goal.  

Stay social

Stay in touch with family and friends as much as you can.  Play board games online together, watch TV together, cook together, eat together.  It's amazing what can be done if you are creative.  

Enjoy....

From Lindsey and all at Team NLP