Animals Help Us Cope With Covid
The loss of our daily routines as we knew them—and the threat of more serious casualties to come from COVID-19—has put a serious emotional strain on all of us. So perhaps it should come as no surprise to see social media feeds flooded with photos and videos of cats, dogs, and other companion animals rising to the occasion.
Pets are serving as our companions in coping throughout the U.S., from suburban kitties taking over “office” chairs and keyboards to rural dogs hunkering down at home. Even celebrities have gotten in on the act—with Anthony Hopkins serenading his cat, and Arnold Schwarzenegger delivering a stay-at-home video PSA starring his pet donkey and miniature horse in his kitchen.
This instinct to turn to our pets during this pandemic is supported by science, said Megan Mueller, A08, G10, G13, the Elizabeth Arnold Stevens Junior Professor at Cummings School and a researcher studying how pets help people.
Pets provide nonjudgmental emotional support, she said, and studies show that “contact with pets help reduces stress and anxiety, particularly when you are experiencing a stressful situation.”
Research also has shown that animals help older adults cope better with social isolation—that is, being physically separated from others—and with loneliness, said Mueller, who is also co-director of Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction and a senior fellow at Tisch College.
In day-to-day life, seniors tend to more at risk of social isolation and loneliness because of factors related to that stage of life, including spouses and friends passing away, being stuck at home due to health or transportation issues, or children being occupied with work and raising their own families.
Now, though, “everyone is truly physically isolated,” said Mueller, who is curious whether the same benefits seen in seniors apply to the general population during COVID-19.
Mueller said that people these days should consider spending extra time with their pet—it could provide a much-needed boost.
“A lot of us are connecting remotely with other people right now, and that’s great,” she said. “But pets are physically present in a way that other forms of social and emotional support aren’t these days for many people, and there’s really something to having that tactile component of petting or touching a pet.”
How Music Affects Your Mood
Not that it should come as a shock to anyone ever, but music in case you had any doubt that music has the ability to make you feel better, read on for some scienc-y facts that will make you feel even better about indulging in music immersion when you need a little pick-me-up.
You know it feels good to shake your hips to your favorite jam, but did you also know it can help lift your mood, reduce anxiety, and decrease stress hormones in your body? Yep, from the earliest drum rhythms played around a fire, till now, music has served as an integral and vital part of the collective human experience.
It has also been linked to better overall physical health by helping to manage stress, enhance memory, and even help alleviate pain. So much so that many hospitals play music of the patient’s choice before undergoing surgery. Further, it can help as an effective treatment with mood disorders, dementia, Parkinson’s, MS, and stroke.
So keep up the listening and know you’re doing your body some good.
Dua Lipa Talks About The Value Of Social Media Breaks
Dua Lipa has recently been quoted as saying her second record wouldn’t have been made if she hadn’t dropped social media like a bad date at Chilli’s. When speaking with Adwoah Aboah’s, Gurl’s Talk podcast, the singer expressed that “Future Nostalgia” wouldn’t have been possible if she “hadn’t taken a step back” from many online platforms such as Facebook and Twitter when she was recording it.
After taking what she saw as a much-needed break from social media she said she was able to make the record. The record has received widespread acclaim as Dua is seen as a strong pop voice to listen to in 2020. So it just goes to show that even the biggest names in pop and social media need a break from it every once in a while. Cheers to that.
Listening To Music Helps Ward Off Depression
Netflix binging is great and a cheaper route than Xanax. But if you’re feeling some level of screen fatigue like most human beings right about now, and needing to evade the blues, try taking a listen to some songs that will help you to get to your happy place, even if it’s for just a little while. Not to mention, there are loads of scientific studies showing music can improve your mood and ward off depression. It can also improve blood flow in ways somewhat similar to statins as well as lower your levels of stress-related hormones such as cortisol. Lastly, listening to music has been shown to ease pain. As a matter of fact, listening to music before surgery has been shown to improve post-surgical outcomes.
Listening to music seems to “selectively activate” neurochemical systems and brain structures associated with positive mood, emotion regulation, attention and memory in ways that promote beneficial changes, says Kim Innes, a professor of epidemiology at West Virginia University’s School of Public Health. Further, there’s no one single music listening center in the brain as it has the ability to activate nearly every region of the brain mapped out so far. This then would speak to the reason music is indeed so universal and why it’s such a powerful tool in affecting our moods.
So do yourself a solid and listen to some happy music the next time you’re starting to feel down. Who knows, it might just put a little spring in your step. And right now, that’s something we all could use a little more of.
Ten Songs To Put You In A Better Mood Than The One You’re In Now
Tags: Better Mood, Dance, Happy, Mental Health, Music
By this point, most people are beginning to feel the fatigue of the quarantine. If you haven’t been affected by the virus itself, the challenges of isolation have most likely set in. If you find yourself down, try checking out these tried and true happy tunes to help boost your spirits. There’s no magic bullet, but these songs have been making feel empowered and uplifted for years.
- "Happy," Pharrell (2013): You can’t help but dance around like an eight-year-old at a bar mitzvah when you hear this song.
- "Better Be Good to Me," Tina Turner (1984): And here, you’re guaranteed to have a new swagger when listening. Even if you’re not wearing a leather skirt.
- "Blessed," Elton John (1995): He promises us we are blessed. Everyone needs to hear this right about now.
- "Neutron Dance," Pointer Sisters (1983): Sideways hop-dancing, check. Big bangs, check. Shoulder pads, check. What more does a person need?
- "24K Magic," Bruno Mars (2016): Now just go find that gold chain.
- "Rainbow," Kacey Musgraves (2018): if it isn’t Kermit The Frog telling us about the importance of rainbows, it’s this woman.
- "Good as Hell," Lizzo (2016): Put your hand to the sky and testify with this and add another, “I’ll have another!”
- "I Feel for You," Chaka Khan (1984): Does anyone else remember their first crush when they hear this song? Asking for a friend.
- "You Make My Dreams," Daryl Hall and John Oates (1980): These two will forever and ever make a person dance like a teenager. Braces and acne may be a side effect but well worth the groove-on you will promptly receive.
- "Don't Stop Me Now," Queen (1978): Ok, so this one is for use inside the house, outside the house if you are alone or accompanied by a dog that has been thoroughly washed and is willing to be your dance partner.
11. Rapper’s Delight- Sugar Hill Gang (1979)- The song that started it all. We all have permission to be groovy when this is on. Do it now, I dare you to not shake your tailfeather.
New Songs In May To Help With The Quarantine Blues
We are either all fools or no one is at this point, but most of us are starting to feel the itch of isolation, worry, and quarantine. So here are a few tunes to help take your mind off it all (albeit temporarily.)
Troye Sivan releases, “Take Yourself Home,” a sweet and touching rumination on the search for one’s place in the world. With dreamy vibes and reflecting moments, it can be your phonographic bubble bath.
Drake’s Toosie Slide is not only a new song, but an early designed TikTok hit. The Canadian rapper sought out influencers in advance on the platform to create dance videos to create an instant success before it was even released. By the time of its debut in early April, “Toosie Slide” was already charting. It’s a mellow instrumental riff with a trap beat, but the catchy dance instructions are what will keep people either dancing or simply putting one foot in front of the other after binging on food, alcohol, NetFlix, or all of the above: “Right foot up, left foot slide.”
Don't Worry Be Happy, is a catchy little acapella ditty that has put a spring in the step of listeners for generations. I dare you to listen to this song once and not be whistling along by the end.
Good Life, by One Republic, is as catchy as all their tunes and, also like most of their tunes, should put you in a mood to run a marathon.
Pharrell Williams just knows how to make you feel a little better with his song, Happy. It's almost impossible to not feel just a little better when listening to this. Even if you've run out of toilet paper.
No matter what, keep your chin up. One day at a time is all it takes. Heck even taking it three minutes at a time to enjoy some uplifting music may make your day a little brighter.
Astronaut Tips To Make Living In Quarantine Livable
Being prepared for isolation is a giant part of an astronaut’s training. They’ve got to deal with living in confined spaces, with the same few people for weeks or months on end, and also have to eat canned tuna even when they really wish they could cram their faces full of pizza. They have to not only be rocket scientists and physicists but also know how to cope with stress and not getting to go outside to run around in the summer sprinklers. So here are a few tips from those who have not only survived living in isolation but have also done it in zero gravity while researching intergalactic wonders.
Keep A Positive Attitude
Astronauts have to not only live in extreme places but also have to maintain a good attitude no matter what the circumstances. Working together with those you are in isolation with is key to efficient problem-solving. So while you may not have to figure out which wires will reconfigure your warp drive, you can remember to keep your chin up when your sweetie eats the last of the ice cream. Remember your attitude helps determine how you interpret a situation, so having a good one is half the battle.
Communication and Routines Are Essential
Remember pre-virus days when you were just so, “crazy busy” and you couldn’t find time to brush your hair, let alone have time to self reflect. Whereas now you’ve got so much time with yourself or your family, you might be going a little bonkers. Two things that are key to help manage that are creating very clear communication among those living in the house and keeping a solid schedule. When you have needs make sure you have the person you’re talking to even repeat your requests so that there is no confusion. This will also allow you to talk through any points of contention that may come up. And keep a schedule even if you’re not currently working. If that means scheduling when you eat breakfast, exercise, speak with friends, clean out your closets, or watch an episode of Star Trek. Schedule it. Tracking even small accomplishments throughout your day helps to give you a sense of purpose, balance, and connection to your surroundings.
Stay Connected To Others
Make those phone calls. Send ridiculous memes to friends. Use video conferencing in all its illustrious forms. Or, here’s a novel idea, You can keep your conversations short, but make sure to keep reaching out to people. You may be lonely, but it’s guaranteed that some of your pals are feeling the same thing. So finding ways to connect even with social distance walks, will help you to feel less isolated.
So use these tips and take it one day at a time. And always remember, we are in this together.