COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dr. Bethany Cook, a clinical Psychologist and mother of two, said it's been an exhausting 10 months for parents between the ups and downs and heavy conversations with children regarding the social unrest and the pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • Recent studies show 50% of adults believe the coronavirus is having a negative impact on their mental health

  • Dr. Bethany Cook, clinical psychologist and mother of two, has five tips on how to avoid exhaustion

  • Cook urged parents to define a support system and says taking dance breaks is a good idea

  • She suggests taking a deep breaths when you start feeling overwhelmed

She said especially for young children, it's important to filter the information that comes in. As tempting as it may be, don't always have breaking news playing in the background.

“I think parents first and foremost should let their child know that they're safe, their parent has their back, they're gonna do their best to protect them. And that sometimes big emotions result in bad behavior, not necessarily bad people, but bad behavior,” Cook said.

For teenagers she suggests having an open dialog ... asking what do you know, or what have you seen? What's your opinion?

Cook said parents can “keep going” and battle overwhelming exhaustion by remembering these five tips:

Define a support system: A spouse, friend, or group who has similar values to you, a place you can go to feel validated in your struggle.

Embrace the power of music. Taking dance breaks with kids is a good idea, but keep in mind when it comes to music —listening for just short periods can impact your brain.

“When an individual listens to music, whether it's preferred or not, your entire brain is lit up like a Christmas tree on an FRMI and what that does is that affords blood flow, increased blood flow to parts of your brain. Maybe you've just been down in the dumps, it's just a big massage for your brain.”

Reaching out to neighbors and friends in a socially distanced manner, planning a vacation and cutting yourself some slack are also some tips Cook recommends.

“Take a deep breath when you start feeling overwhelmed. There is so much research to show that deep breathing in through your nose and out through your body does so much to release blood pressure. It increases oxygen levels throughout your body. You actually exhale many toxins when you completely exhale of your lungs,” Cook said.

Cook said perhaps most important is limiting screen time, giving your brain time to decompress before bed and trying all you can to establish a consistent sleep schedule.