When the coronavirus pandemic first swept across Australia, many of us felt a kind of worry we had never experienced before. The rules kept changing, the news never stopped, and the future felt impossible to plan. That specific event has passed, but the feeling it left behind is remarkably common: the low hum of dread that shows up whenever life becomes unpredictable.

This article gives you five practical, evidence-informed strategies you can use today to settle a racing mind and a tense body. They were written with pandemic stress in mind, yet they work just as well for health anxiety, financial worry, a family crisis, or any season where the ground feels like it is shifting under your feet.

At Vitality Unleashed Psychology in Bundall on the Gold Coast, we support people through exactly these moments, both in person and via telehealth Australia-wide. You do not have to wait until you are overwhelmed to reach out, and you do not have to manage this on your own.

Why uncertainty hits the nervous system so hard

Human beings are wired to seek certainty. Your brain is constantly making predictions about what happens next, because prediction once kept our ancestors alive. When the world becomes genuinely unpredictable, that prediction system cannot settle, so it stays switched on, scanning for threat.

This is why uncertain times can feel physically exhausting. Your body is running a low-grade stress response for hours or days at a time, releasing adrenaline and cortisol that were only ever meant for short bursts. You may notice a tight chest, shallow breathing, disrupted sleep, irritability, or a stomach that never quite settles.

None of this means anything is wrong with you. It means your threat system is doing its job a little too well. The five strategies below are designed to give that system clear signals of safety, so it can stand down and let you think clearly again.

5 ways to reduce coronavirus stress and anxiety

1. Limit and time-box the news

During the height of the coronavirus outbreak, many people checked the news dozens of times a day, hoping the next update would bring relief. It rarely did. A constant drip of alarming information keeps your threat system on high alert without giving you anything useful to do with the fear.

Try choosing one or two trusted sources and one or two set times a day to check them, then closing the tab. Turn off push notifications. If a topic is genuinely important, it will still be there at your scheduled check-in, and you will meet it with a calmer mind.

2. Anchor your day with a simple routine

Uncertainty erodes structure, and a lack of structure feeds anxiety. When you cannot control the big picture, controlling the shape of your day becomes surprisingly powerful.

Keep consistent wake and sleep times. Build in regular meals, movement, work or study blocks, and a clear end to the day. These small, predictable anchors tell your nervous system that some things remain reliable, which lowers the background sense of threat.

3. Breathe out longer than you breathe in

When you are anxious, your breathing becomes fast and shallow, which keeps the stress response fired up. You can interrupt this loop directly through your breath.

Try breathing in gently through your nose for a count of four, then out slowly for a count of six. The longer out-breath activates the part of your nervous system responsible for calming you down. Just two or three minutes can take the edge off a panicky moment. If you would like more depth here, our guide on managing panic attacks walks through this in detail.

4. Separate what you can control from what you cannot

Anxiety loves unanswerable questions: What if things get worse? How long will this last? Because these questions have no answer, worrying about them produces no relief, only more worry.

Grab a piece of paper and draw two columns. In one, list what is genuinely within your control today, such as your daily habits, who you reach out to, and how you look after your body. In the other, list what is not. Gently commit your energy to the first column and practise letting the second one be. This single shift can free up an enormous amount of mental space.

5. Stay connected, even at a distance

Isolation amplifies anxious thinking. When we are alone with our worries, they tend to grow. Connection does the opposite: a warm conversation reminds your nervous system that you are safe and supported.

You do not need to talk about the crisis itself. A regular phone call, a walk with a friend, or a video chat with family can all help. If your worry is starting to interfere with sleep, work, or relationships, connecting with a psychologist is one of the most effective steps you can take.

If anxiety is making everyday life harder, you do not have to push through alone. Book Online (opens in a new window) · Submit an enquiry

When worry becomes something more

Short-term stress during a genuine crisis is normal and expected. Sometimes, though, anxiety settles in and stays, long after the immediate event has passed. It can be worth reaching out for support if you notice:

These are common, treatable experiences. Anxiety responds very well to evidence-based psychological therapy, and reaching out early often makes the path shorter.

How Vitality Unleashed can help

At Vitality Unleashed Psychology, our AHPRA-registered Clinical Psychologists work with people experiencing stress, worry, and health anxiety every day. We use evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you understand what is keeping the anxiety going and to build practical skills that last.

You can read more about the support we offer on our anxiety treatment page, and about how one-to-one sessions work on our individual therapy page. If you would like a broader toolkit for ongoing resilience, our companion article on 10 ways to reduce coronavirus anxiety expands on the ideas here.

We see clients in person at our Bundall rooms on the Gold Coast and through telehealth right across Australia, so you can access support from home wherever you are.

Eligible clients may be able to claim Medicare rebates with a GP Mental Health Care Plan, which can reduce the out-of-pocket cost of a set number of sessions each year. Private fees apply and we do not bulk bill; you can see current fees and rebate information on our psychology fees page. Your GP can help you decide whether a Mental Health Care Plan is right for you.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal to still feel anxious about health and the future?

Yes. Feeling uneasy about health, safety, or the future is a very common response to uncertainty, and periods of world stress can leave that response lingering. It becomes worth addressing when the worry is persistent, distressing, or interfering with daily life, sleep, or relationships.

What is the fastest way to calm anxiety in the moment?

Slow, extended breathing is one of the quickest tools available. Breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of six for a few minutes. Pairing this with grounding your attention on your five senses can help interrupt a spike of anxiety and bring you back to the present.

How is health anxiety different from ordinary worry?

Health anxiety involves persistent fear about being seriously unwell, often accompanied by frequent body-checking, reassurance-seeking, or online symptom searching that provides only brief relief. Psychological therapy can help you respond to these urges differently and reduce their grip over time.

When should I see a psychologist rather than manage it myself?

If self-help strategies are not enough, if anxiety is affecting your sleep, work, or relationships, or if it has simply gone on too long, that is a good time to reach out. Seeing a psychologist early often makes treatment shorter and more effective.

Helpful Australian resources

You do not have to work through this alone

Uncertain times are hard, but you do not have to face them without support. Our Clinical Psychologists offer warm, practical help in Bundall and via telehealth Australia-wide, and small steps today can make a real difference.

Ready when you are. Book Online (opens in a new window) · Submit an enquiry

This article is general information only and is not a substitute for personalised advice from a qualified health professional. If you’re struggling, please reach out to your GP, a psychologist, or a support service. In a crisis, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In an emergency, call 000.