Lonely? Here's How To Stay Connected

Is It Safe To Fly?

Shots Tracy Lee for NPR Too Much Alone Time? 5 Tips To Reconnect With People And Your Passions, From Home We are social creatures. So it's no surprise that quarantine fatigue has begun to set in. "Humans are wired to come together physically," says psychologist Judith Moskowitz of Northwestern University. But, loneliness has become widespread in modern life. And, social distancing has just exacerbated the problem. Social connection is essential to our well-being, since prolonged isolation increases the risk of depression and anxiety. Luckily, people are finding new ways to interact with each other, even under extraordinary circumstances. Read on for strategies to connect with others, while still staying safe. MORE: These times can be especially hard on the those with serious mental health issues. Here's how to help someone who's at high risk. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Paula Bronstein/Getty Images Thinking Of Flying? Here's How To Assess The Risks, And Stay Safe With some countries and states starting to allow businesses to reopen and lifting stay-at-home orders, you may be wondering, is it safe to fly again? Current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges avoiding travel as much as possible, stating that travel increases of getting and spreading COVID-19.  Experts agree: Even as some restrictions start to lift, it's still not a great time to take a flight for, say, a beach vacation. But if you are considering a trip, here's how to decide if it's worth it, and answers to your questions about how stay as safe as possible -- including, how do you really social distance on a plane? Read on for guidance about traveling by air. MORE: What does safe reopening look like? Read about new CDC guidance for restaurants, childcare, camps, mass transit and more. Simone Golob/Getty Images Grief For Beginners: 5 Things To Know About Healing From Loss We're all experiencing some form of grief these days. As this pandemic progresses, more of us will brush shoulders with loss. The death of someone you care about deeply can be so gut wrenching that you may unable to imagine ever regaining your equilibrium. And if you're there right now, just know you won't be in that painful place forever. Grief expert Terri Daniel lost her 16-year-old son to metachromatic leukodystrophy, a rare metabolic disorder, in 2006. "He went from being a perfectly normal kid to in a wheelchair, unable to speak or manage his own body in any way," she says. It was devastating, but Daniel learned a lot about grief. She says with proper care, grief eases its heart-clenching grip. And, if you embrace it fully, it can shake you alive and awake like nothing else. "It's an opening to a new world, a new self," says Daniel. "And it leads to greater peace in life." Read on for five strategies to help you cultivate a healthy relationship with grief. More of this week's health stories from NPR A doctor learns new ways to connect more deeply with patients because of the coronavirus When can we expect a coronavirus vaccine? What the 1918 flu can teach us about handling today’s pandemic We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. Your Shots editor, Carmel Wroth   What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy