If you’re feeling overwhelmed or disheartened by our climate problem, this isn’t unusual. Many people feel a deep worry about human caused environmental degradation and climate change. A recent worldwide survey showed that this worry– what psychologists call “eco-anxiety– affects nearly 70% of adults and 85% of children.
But what to do about it?
Here are five things you can do to address eco-anxiety.
Each of these can create a greater sense of individual security and agency in the face of eco-anxiety and can help build the resiliency needed for the challenges ahead.
Here is the third (*):
3. Practice self-care
Psychologists recommend three strategies to combat the negative effects of stress.:
- Improve Sleep
- Move More
- Eat Healthy
Sleep may have the biggest impact on our ability to manage stress. As more than a third of adults do not consistently get enough sleep, there is a high likelihood that those with eco-anxiety are sleep deprived. Click here for tips to improve your sleep.
Exercise (even a brisk walk) can improve sleep and directly combat stress. Indeed, moderate physical activity has been shown to cut stress levels in half. Click here to learn more.
Finally, a varied, nutritious diet can provide more physical energy to deal with eco-anxiety related challenges. Click here to learn which foods help combat stress.
Don’t keep this a secret. Please forward this to someone who needs to hear about it and start up a conversation.