Positive Lifestyle Behaviours
Capitalising on coping strategies akin to positive lifestyle behaviours can vastly improve mental health wellbeing. These activities which include eating healthy food, engaging in regular physical activity, practicing good sleep hygiene where possible and guaranteeing sufficient rest between shifts have been recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).27 Furthermore, avoidance of harmful coping strategies such as alcohol and drug misuse, consistent rumination about COVID-19 or engaging in high-risk behaviours (i.e. gambling / excessive spending) is pivotal due to these activities being more damaging in the long-term. Alternatively, social media use for the purpose of maintaining social contact can be considered as a positive lifestyle behaviour. However, consuming excessive media coverage pertinent to COVID-19 may impact negatively on mental health, comparably to the relationship found between viewing disaster media coverage and adverse psychological outcomes.28