5 Tips For Improving Your Mental Health During COVID-19

2020 has been a different year than many were hoping for. At the beginning, excitement was spilling over at the turn of the decade and for a fresh new start. Unfortunately, COVID-19 struck, and we're all stuck in a state of limbo. Many people are losing their jobs, their way of life and their mental health is at risk. Keeping your brain healthy during these tumultuous times is essential. At mindmilk, we take brain health very seriously. To do our part in helping our community- we created the mindmilk Scavenger Hunt to check all the boxes below!

Engage In Physical Activities 

It's no secret that exercise​ helps improve symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders. Ten minutes of walking around your home or following yoga videos on YouTube can help. For many of us, taking our pet or children out for a walk in the neighborhood is the same routine over and over again. We've walked our area so many times over the last six months, we could do it with our eyes closed. And stress and anxiety can arise from going stir crazy. UGH

Enter mindmilk Scavenger Hunt. We've given Nashville destinations, safe places to go, all outside. Hop in the car and head to one of our 5 neighborhoods in the game. Each community is designed to be a 20-30 minute walk! Yay for new scenery.

Play A Game

Been sitting at home watching television, feeling like you need a little mental stimulation? Noticing a decline in your mental health? That's because we need to keep our brains stimulated to maintain and improve our neurological health! Games provide ​cognitive stimulation.​ Games are a healthy outlet for our stress and can reduce the risk of diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

With 75 missions all tailored to wake up your brain, the mindmilk scavenger hunt is built to stimulate all the senses and give you an incredible feeling of accomplishment. Not to mention the chance to win up to $2000!

Attend A Virtual Event 

Many of our community centers are closed for now, but we can still stay connected virtually. We might not be packed into a room, but we can still laugh and connect on a human level. Developing and maintaining social ties with other human beings, even virtually, dramatically ​improves​ mental health. Even working together on a project can help make someone feel included, which builds confidence. 

We have a virtual leaderboard and activity feed built right into the GooseChase app—the app that powers our mindmilk scavenger hunt. You can even see other people's submissions and photos! This gives you the sense that you are playing along with a group. You can text us directly at 615-398-6846, where we have real human team members that will chat with you. Join our virtual community and follow the #mindmilkscavengerhunt to watch the game.

Learn New Things 

Games help keep your brain stimulated, and there's nothing as encouraging as filling your mind with brand new information. Learning new skills helps to ​improve working memory and other cognitive abilities. You don't have to do anything too challenging, but learning gives us a sense of purpose.

Playing with Augmented Reality (A.R) can be intimidating, but it's easy and fun. Build your confidence with 14 opportunities to see Nashville murals come to life. Nashville has so much rich history, we've included great art along the journey. Having fun while learning is an added bonus.

Help Those In Need 

They say there are no selfless acts. There may be people who are doing worse off than you during COVID-19, and we can do our part to help. Reducing others' stress and hardships enables you to improve your own self-value, while also instilling a sense of accomplishment. Even if it's simply to help others, having a purpose in life gives you a much-needed ​foundation of self-esteem​ and overall mental wellbeing.

We've partnered with numerous local businesses that all could use your support. During the game, we've built clues that highlight only local small businesses and artists. Taking a great picture of their business and sharing it on social media means a lot for many of these family businesses. If you can, any purchases can make a difference during these times. 

Some day, life will be back to normal. We'll be able to gather at large events again. Unfortunately, the whole world is in a state of the new suspension. We have to do what we can, with what we have, to improve our mental health and improve others' mental health. 

Get out and play the mindmilk Scavenger Hunt! All in one afternoon you've achieved all 5 of these tips to improve your mental health.