Leslie Pertz, LMSW, NIC, lead social worker at the Deaf Health Clinic explains in ASL how to manage stress and anxiety during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. For coronavirus updates from Michigan Medicine and the University of Michigan, please visit: https://www.uofmhealth.org/covid-19-u... For general information on the Deaf Health Clinic at the Dexter Health Center, please visit: https://www.uofmhealth.org/our-locati...
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT Hello from MI Medicine and Deaf Health Clinic at Dexter Health Center. I am Leslie Pertz, the social worker at Dexter Health Center. With COVID-19/ corona virus many people are stressed. I want to give you some ideas how to reduce stress. Today I want to talk about stress and how to help yourself. Four things are important to reducing stress and helping yourself.
1- First what to not to do- watching the news or being on your phone for many hours, all day- no- stop- give yourself breaks. Even if it is just for one hour. Turn off the tv or put down your phone. Take some time to rest.
2- Focus on what you can control- you can control your day- have a schedule what you will do in the morning, afternoon, evening – avoid being around other people in person and keeping your hands washed are all things you can control.
3- Take care of your body- eat, sleep, drink water, limit alcohol, limit junk, limit sugar, limit or do not use drugs. Especially having good having a good sleep schedule of going to bed around 9pm-10pm and waking at 7am or 8am. These are things you can do to take care of your body. Also look soon for daily meditations I hope to record in ASL to help you reduce stress.
4- Know that now we are okay – things might feel scary right now, but we will get through it. Things have happened in history and every time we get through it and we are fine. This will be fine too.
Other ideas for what you can to help yourself. Move your body, with yourself or a few other people as long as you stay a few feet away you can go outside and walk, jog, bike, or stay inside and find online videos of easy yoga or easy exercise that is easy to follow or with CC. I also hope soon to have on this page meditations in ASL to help reduce stress.
Also you can talk to friends and family on VP. You all are ahead of hearing people that you already know and use VP. Hearing people are just now trying to figure it out. So VP with people who can help you feel less stressed. If need to talk because you feel like stress is too much you can call me at 734-426-2796. Ask to schedule a VP visit with me. It doesn’t matter if you are not a patient of Dexter Health Center, if you are a patient anywhere in Michigan Medicine you can call and talk to me. Well, that’s it for now. Take care of yourself. Stay health. Good day!
