COVID-19 was an eye-opener, helping people understand the importance of basic hygiene, mental health, and living with loved ones. The conventional social norms took a back seat during those lockdown days. Instead, the virtual world became the new reality with restrictions everywhere! Schools, colleges, and offices were clubbed within a single space – a computer/mobile screen. Today, looking back on those days feels quite surreal, and there are people all around the globe trying to cope with the collected memories, both positive and negative, in the best way possible. However, some researchers want to get a deeper grip on the situation and did come up with a schedule, studying the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health and lifestyle both in a positive and negative way. Continue with your reading to find out the results as they came across!
Effects Of COVID-19 Restrictions On Mental Health And Lifestyle – A Case Study
A research team from the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, developed a study deciphering the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health and lifestyle. Since the COVID-19 period did make children and adults subject to a changed schedule, the research team was keen to understand the effect of restrictions on the daily life of these people. Also, the lack of proper information about the COVID-19 days made the researchers more enthusiastic about the people and their mental health during those tough days. They went on dividing the study into three phrases, collecting the necessary information as available:
- Before the pandemic
- Early during the pandemic
- One year into the pandemic
The primary area of focus was
- Change in digital media use (problematic use of digital media, screen time, and negative online experiences).
- Mental health (rising stress, closeness, and irritability).
- Protective lifestyle habits (exercise and sleep) across different pandemic phases
The Findings – Effects Of COVID-19 Restrictions On Mental Health And Lifestyle
The team came across a comprehensive output, gaining intrinsic details about the life of young people and the significant changes they went through. As per the study,
- It was the females reporting more mental health problems in comparison to men. The former was disturbed by social media worry and online bullying.
- There was a substantial increase in screen time for both males and females.
- Also, it was the boys who faced more issues with remote learning experiences after a year into the pandemic situation in comparison to girls.
- Moreover, there were significant alterations in lifestyle habits and mental health problems during the COVID-19 phase.
- On the positive side, people got to complete full hours of sleep. They exercised regularly, and there was a decrease in the levels of irritability in them.
The initial days of the lockdown were quite fun, with people living the best of their experiences. However, a year into the phase, there were reports of increased stress and more time spent on mobile screens. Also, the researchers could identify the real-time stressors and negative experiences students subjected to remote schooling had to go through. These were strong enough to motivate general classroom interventions and the division of a stronger digital climate. Moreover, the study highlights the parents’ role in monitoring their adolescent child’s screen time, prompting necessary lifestyle habits and better mental health.
