Welcome to social isolation, a new lifestyle where grabbing a drink with friends consists of getting drunk in front of your computer. Where hitting the club means dancing alone in your living room, and the only face-to-face conversations you have are with your dog Foofy.Regardless of whether you’re under house arrest, or under quarantine from a worldwide pandemic, social isolation is not going to be easy. If you’re not careful, it can be as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day!Social isolation may be new to you, but people survive long periods of it all the time. Take astronauts, for example. The longest stretch ever spent in space by one astronaut was 438 days, by Russian astronaut Valery Polyakov.One thing he says helped him survive the isolation was the strict schedule of maintaining the spacecraft. It helped to keep his mind occupied, and his days structured.But you don’t have a spacecraft to maintain, so what should you be doing to survive? Should you maintain your regular schedule? How could video chats affect your chances of surviving? And why could going crazy during this isolation be a good thing?Here are six tips from experts and survivors to help answer those questions.Number 1: Limit Your Screen TimeIt might be tempting to fill your lonely days by consuming all the endless online content that’s available to you, but staring at a screen all day, every day, can be very bad for you.Not only can it lead to a sedentary lifestyle, it can also cause vision issues, headaches, and chronic neck and back pain. On top of that, the blue light from digital devices suppresses the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, which could cause trouble sleeping.Number 2: Get Some SunlightSpeaking of sleeping, remember to open your curtains and let the sunshine in. This can help you maintain your sleep-wake schedule, which can be disrupted when people are isolated in complete darkness.Messing up this schedule, known as your circadian rhythm, can also lead to depression and fatigue.Number 3: Take A Creative JourneyYou have all the time in the world, so why not get a little creative with it? Write something, paint something, or finish that rock opera you’ve always dreamed of.Let go of the need to be doing something “important” all the time, and just let your mind wander. It can do wonders for your relaxation, rejuvenation, and personal growth.Number 4: Limit Your News UpdatesIf you’re isolated for something like a quarantine, you should try to limit the amount of time you spend checking the news.Only check reputable sources, and select one or two times each day when you check them. Checking too often can cause unnecessary stress, and make the time seem to pass more slowly.Number 5: Reach Out to Support Others in IsolationSocially isolated doesn’t have to mean socially disconnected. In a lot of these situations, you’ll still have access to your phone and internet communications. So why not use them?Research shows that those with weaker social relationships are 50% more likely to die over a given period of time than those with stronger relationships. In other words, having social connections is very important for our well-being.Positive social support can help us adjust to challenges and cope with stress. Reaching out to offer support to others is a good way to feel less alone. And it helps you to control your own anxiety by giving you a sense of purpose.Number 6: It’s OK if Isolation Drives You A Little CrazySocial isolation may not always feel comfortable. It could make you cry, laugh, yell, and dwell on things your mind usually wouldn’t have time for. But that might not be a bad thing.Let this be an opportunity to push your boundaries of awareness, of time, of yourself, and of your relationships. You may be able to leave this social isolation with a greater appreciation for all the things in your life that you used to take for granted.So there you have it. Now, you know how to make it through this tough time with at least a little bit of your sanity intact.Above all else, it’s important to stay connected with others during a challenge like this.