It’s hard to be “unbothered” these days.
War!
Surging oil prices!
Dwindling Peso…
You don’t need to live in the Middle East to feel it.
It’s the lump in your throat as you drive by the gasoline station, or the case of the disappearing P1000 bill after a few groceries.
You experience it late at night when you are supposed to be resting, but your mind keeps flirting with questions like, “Paano kung mas lumala pa?” or “Kakayanin pa ba ng budget?”
We live in stressful times, so this post will talk about practical ways to cope with recent global events.
Because the Filipino might be naturally resilient, but everyone can use a healthy hack or two.
Sleep: Your Most Underrated Defense
Sleep is usually the first thing that goes.
You’re tired, but your mind won’t stop. You think about bills, work, family, or what might happen next. You check your phone, doom-scroll a bit, and then suddenly it’s 2 AM.
But even when you sleep, it’s shallow. You wake up tired.
You become irritable and have a hard time focusing during the day.
Over time, this leads to high blood pressure, weight gain, weaker immunity, and anxiety.
Sleep is when your body recovers and heals, so when it is affected, everything else is affected.
So here are some practical tips for better sleep:
Set a cutoff for news and doom scrolling
The best thing is to insulate yourself from the blood-boiling, cold-sweat-inducing headlines. Otherwise, try to limit your diet of these things. Decide on a specific time (like one hour before bed) when you stop consuming news and social media. This is all about protecting your mental state and giving your brain a buffer period to shift into rest mode.Keep a consistent sleep and wake time
Try waking up at the same time every day…even if you slept late. This trains your internal body clock. After a while, you will start getting sleepy earlier, making it easier to fix your sleep pattern.Lower lights and noise before bed
Studies show that darkness is best for restful sleep. Even switching off one main light and using softer lighting signals to your brain that the day is ending. Silence is also key. If noise is unavoidable, use a consistent background sound like a fan to create a steady hum your brain can ignore.Use your bed only for sleep
Train your brain to associate your bed with sleep. Avoid long periods of scrolling or watching videos there. If you need to use your phone, do it sitting or in another area.Move your body during the day
You don’t need a full workout, but regular movement like walking, household chores, or errands helps your body use up energy. The key is to avoid being completely sedentary, which can make your body feel tired but not ready for deep sleep.Keep your room cool and comfortable
Do everything to increase comfort. Having better airflow, lighter beddings, or cooler surroundings makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Don’t force sleep
The harder you want it, the more elusive it gets. So if you find yourself tossing and turning in bed, get up and do something low-effort like sitting quietly or reading. This calms down your brain, separates it from frustration, and helps it get into a more dozing off mood.
Create a simple wind-down routine
A “wind down” routine is a great hack. Keep it short and repeatable. It could be washing up, turning lights off, or sitting quietly for a few minutes. Doing the same sequence every night trains your body to recognize that sleep is coming, making the transition smoother.
In stressful times, protecting your sleep is one of the fastest ways to stabilize your health.
Eating Smart: Nutrition on a Tight Budget
When prices go up, our choices change. We buy less, stretch our meals, or go for whatever is cheapest. That usually means more instant noodles, processed food, and fewer fresh options.
Especially when food prices are what they are, this is understandable. But over time, it can negatively impact health.
Poor diet during stressful periods is linked to weaker immunity, higher risk of illness, and lower energy levels. When nutrition drops, everything else becomes harder. You get tired faster. You recover slower, and you feel more irritable.
So here are some practical tips for eating well on a tight budget:
Set a fixed weekly food budget and stick to it
Decide on a realistic amount for the week and treat it like a non-negotiable limit. This forces better prioritization and prevents small, frequent spending that adds up quickly.Buy in “semi-bulk” if possible
Items like rice, eggs, and veggies are often cheaper per unit when bought in slightly larger quantities. (But focus only on staples you regularly use to avoid tying up money in unused food.)Choose ingredients that stretch across multiple meals
A single purchase should ideally cover more than one dish. For example, one batch of vegetables or protein can be used for different meals over a few days, maximizing value.Prioritize high-value foods, not just low price
The cheapest option is not always the most cost-effective. Foods that keep you full longer reduce overall spending because you eat less frequently.Punch up your meals
Even small upgrades matter: adding an egg to instant noodles, mixing malunggay into commercial soup. These do not negate the effects of processed options, but they add nutritional value to any meal.Cook in batches
Cooking larger portions (for multiple meals of the day) saves money, time, and reduces the chance of defaulting to unhealthy quick fixes.Have a “Cheat Day”
Times are hard enough. Don’t overdo it. Having a cheat day gives you something to look forward to, reducing impulsive spending and overeating during the week. When done intentionally, it keeps you from feeling restricted and overwhelmed.
The Rise of Unhealthy Coping
When stress becomes constant, people look for relief.
That’s when bad habits can enter the picture.
The problem is that many “coping” habits don’t actually reduce stress. They just delay it, while adding new health risks.
You might recognize these emerging patterns:
Drinking more often “to relax”
Smoking more when stressed or tired
Eating out of boredom or anxiety, not hunger
Staying up late on your phone to avoid thinking
Relying on caffeine or sugar just to get through the day
These work short-term. But over time, they worsen sleep, increase fatigue, and make stress harder to manage.
Another issue that deserves mention is social isolation.
Some people, when life gets hard, tend to pull back.
You skip meetups to save money. You stop replying as much. You tell yourself you’re just tired or busy. Slowly, the connection becomes less frequent.
It feels practical. But over time, it takes a toll.
Social isolation is strongly linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and even physical illness.
Stress is real, but in these times, there are better ways to cope.
Here are some healthy habits that can alleviate pressure and provide needed relief:
Schedule short breaks instead of waiting to feel overwhelmed
Don’t wait until you’re already stressed to pause. Set specific times during the day to step away, even for 5 minutes. This keeps stress from building up.Control your input
You can’t avoid stress completely, but you can limit what feeds it. For many of us, it comes via the smartphones in our hands. It’s a slippery slope and it’s very easy to fall into the doom-scroll. Reduce unnecessary exposure to negative content by not even starting. (Some even make it a point not to charge their phones.)Use movement as a reset
Simple actions like walking outside, doing errands on foot, or even light stretching can help release tension, reset your mood, and get those helpful endorphins flowing.“Touch Grass”
Choose one simple activity you can do anytime you feel stressed. For example, you can step outside, listen to music, meditate, journal, pray, or even just sit quietly. Everyone is different, but it’s important to know what go-to response prevents things from escalating.Touch base
Hit up a friend. Strike up a light chat. A short conversation or message can shift your mindset and reduce stress. (You don’t need long interactions or talk about heavy topics.) So instead of isolating, reach out. Not just for your benefit, but for the relief it gives others.
Stress management doesn’t require major changes. It’s about interrupting stress regularly before it builds up too much.
Steady in Unsteady Times
You may not be able to control rising prices, global tensions, or what happens next. But you can control how you take care of yourself through it.
Getting enough sleep, eating within your means without neglecting your health, managing stress in small ways, and staying connected all add up.
These are not big changes, but done consistently, they make you more stable, more clear-headed, and less reactive to everything that’s happening in our world.
BloodWorks is your partner in monitoring the state of your health.
Feel something is off? Come in for a check-up, talk to your doctor, and remove the guesswork. BloodWork offers checkup packages, blood tests, and medical screenings that keep your health in check.
You see your blood pressure, your blood sugar, your cholesterol, and other key markers clearly.
A checkup can provide clarity. And in times like these, clarity is one of the most valuable things you can have.
Book your appointment today.
Our branches are in Alabang, Katipunan, and Cebu.