By Claire Brinsden Jordan
Making Body and Mind More Resilient
When hurricane season arrives, we tend to pay more attention to safeguarding our homes and property, which is important, but perhaps we should give equal consideration to our most valuable asset – ourselves. Hurricanes bring more than wind, rain, and surge. As we found from the one-two punch of last season, they also bring physical, mental, and emotional strain. So how do we prepare our bodies and minds for what’s ahead, and how do we become more resilient?
BEFORE A HURRICANE
Now is the time to make those doctor appointments you’ve been putting off, especially if you need to refill prescriptions. You should have a two-week to one month supply of medications on hand before a storm hits. It’s also a good idea to get a tetanus shot if you have not had one in the last 10 years. Your hurricane emergency bag should include a first aid kit, prescription medications, your doctor’s contact information, and a copy of your medical insurance card. If you use any kind of medical equipment, be sure to have a battery backup system in place in case of power outage. Wear medical alert tags so that first responders have the information they need.
To build resilience and prepare for stress, practice a healthy lifestyle that boosts your immune system. Get plenty of sleep and maybe add a short nap when you can. Take vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as the minerals zinc and selenium. Eat healthy foods and exercise to maintain a normal BMI, and a level of fitness that will serve you well after the storm. Make sure you stay well-hydrated, especially in this summer heat, as our hydration levels tend to drop during and after a hurricane. If you are already struggling with mental health, seek counseling now. You can also find support in your community by building strong relationships with friends and neighbors.
Emotional resilience requires a sense of belonging and knowing there are people you can count on in a crisis. Sharing your feelings, especially your fears, with others can alleviate anxiety and lower the sense of isolation. Practice stress-reduction techniques such as breathing, meditation, and yoga, which will give you the tools you’ll need to manage stress and keep emotional balance during disaster situations. Try to limit your media exposure. While it’s difficult in this age of 24-hour news and social media, self-care requires self-focus. As a hurricane approaches, we tend to glue ourselves to the television or internet. If you’re like me, you’ve probably become conditioned to feel anxious when you hear the “hurricane music” they use on The Weather Channel. It’s best to forego the more sensationalized hurricane coverage and listen to our local meteorologists who offer insightful, calm, and measured coverage as the storm approaches. Preparation, not panic, is key.
DURING A HURRICANE
If you are not ordered to evacuate, locate a safe space to ride out the storm in your home. Choose a location on the ground floor with no windows, such as a large closet, where you can set up a comfortable sleeping space and store your emergency kit, battery powered fan, and supplies. Be sure to drink plenty of water, especially if the power goes out and your home heats up. While facing a hurricane may tempt you to eat junk food for comfort, there are plenty of healthy non-perishable foods that will help your immunity through the storm. Eat tuna, salmon, or chicken packets on rice cakes, canned fruit (in water, not syrup), dried fruit, nuts and seeds, canned vegetables like artichokes, olives, beans, and carrots that don’t need heating, and crackers with nut butter and no-sugar added jelly. For a sweet treat, enjoy some honey and ginger candy to calm your stomach. Try to get as much sleep as possible so that you can face the aftermath with a clear head.
AFTER A HURRICANE
Immediately following the storm, it is important to avoid the health hazards all around you. If the power is out, do not use candles, and don’t strike a match in case there are broken gas lines. Watch out for downed power lines which could still be live, as well as trees and building structures that are unstable and could fall on you. Keep out of floodwaters, which are full of bacteria and contaminants. You could get cut by floating debris and get an infection. Always wear protective clothing when cleaning up, including safety boots, safety goggles, gloves, and a mask. Beware of lingering moisture in your home that leads to mold and causes health problems. If working outside, be sure to use bug spray as mosquitoes thrive in standing water and carry a host of diseases. Never put a generator indoors, as this can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. If you don’t have air conditioning use battery or solar powered fans to avoid heat exhaustion or heat stroke. And, of course, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! To avoid eating unsafe food be sure to throw out all perishable food in the refrigerator if you lost power for more than four hours. Throw out everything in your freezer, too, if your power was out for more than 24 hours.
When it comes to your mental health, anxiety, depression, and PTSD tend to spike after hurricanes. Hurricanes disrupt your life, damage property, and add a layer of stress above and beyond your normal load. The pre-hurricane anxiety, followed by the post-hurricane stress of clean-up and damage assessment can lead to exhaustion. Your self-care is more important than ever at this point. Take a moment to catch your breath and employ those stress relief tools you practiced before the storm. Get as much sleep as possible and nap when needed.
Try to get back to your exercise routine. If you are struggling emotionally, talk to family, friends and neighbors and ask for help when you need support. While it’s hard sometimes to ask for help, everyone needs it at some point. Remember that you are human, that you are entitled to your feelings, and that you might experience a range of emotions after a hurricane.
Pinellas County offers hurricane-related mental help support. The Disaster Distress Helpline is a toll-free, multilingual, and ASL supported helpline available 24/7 that offers crisis counseling for disaster-related emotional distress. Call or text 1-800-985-5990. Care About Me is Pinellas County’s access line for mental health and substance use services. Call or text 1-888-431-1998 or go to careaboutme.org to connect with a behavioral health specialist.
While we hope to be spared of hurricane activity this season, it’s always best to have mind and body prepared. When you take care of yourself before, during and after a hurricane, you will have the good health and energy needed to handle everything else!