Your Why the Brain-Body Connection Matter So Much For Your Mental Health
"I have butterflies in my stomach."
"That gave me goosebumps."
"I am so tired of this."
"This assignment is giving me a headache."
When it comes to your body, everything is connected. This connection includes physical and mental health. Your mind and body function and work best together. Look back at the sentences above. Emotions are at play, but there is also evidence of a physical response. The same goes for anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, and trauma. There are four physical symptoms tied to depression:
Agitated; Slow thoughts and movements
Fatigue
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Weight loss or gain
In order to process and resolve how we feel, we have to take a deeper dive into how we feel, mentally and physically.
Improving Your Mind-Body Connection
Taking care of your body can actually help improve your mental health. Put a stop to those unhealthy habits by making some simple but effective changes to your day-to-day life. Incorporating some type of physical activity, changing your nutrition, and making your sleep a priority are great places to start to improve that mind-body connection.
Exercise
Exercise is proven to help your physical health and your mental health as well. It has even been known to help treat the following:
● Anxiety
● Bipolar Disorder
● Eating Disorders
● Depression
● Personality Disorders
● Schizophrenia
Incorporating some type of physical activity or movement in your day to day has many different benefits associated. Boosting your self-esteem, enhancing your brain function, improving your mood, minimizing panic attacks, and reducing the risk of anxiety, depression, and overall stress are just a few associated benefits.
Keep in mind that physical activity or working out does not mean you have to become a marathoner or triathlete. There are so many different ways out there to become a healthier version of yourself, inside and out. Hit the gym and lift some weights. Bust out a jump rope and get that heart pumping. Attend a local high-intensity interval training, aka HIIT, workout class like OrangeTheory, Burn Boot Camp, or F45 Training. Take a bike ride or rollerblade with friends. Even a quick stroll or walk around the block while listening to music or an audiobook counts! Find what works best for you, and have fun with it.
Nutrition
Your nutrition plays a key part in helping or hurting your mental health as well. Think about how you feel if you overindulge. You probably do not feel great mentally or physically. You may be judging yourself for binging, and your stomach may be feeling the effects of whatever you decide to indulge in. On the other end, think about how you feel if you decide to skip a meal. You probably feel hungry, tired, and you may even have a hard time focusing.
Incorporating a healthier lifestyle has many different benefits like reducing or controlling anxiety, depression, and stress, having more energy, and better sleep.
In addition to better nutrition, hydration goes hand in hand. Getting enough water each day is very important. They say that if you wait to have water until you are thirsty, there is a good chance that you are already dehydrated. Stay on top of your water intake, and make sure you focus on drinking actual water. Coffee, tea, soda, or juice does not count towards your water intake.
Sleep
Sleep is necessary for your body and brain. It allows for the necessary time to rest, recharge, and recover. You probably heard when you were younger that you should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each day. This is still true! The goal is to aim between 7-9 hours each night. Not getting an adequate amount of sleep can have a negative effect on your physical and mental health. Without proper sleep, you may experience fatigue, confusion, mood swings, anxiety and/or depression, and a decreased desire for physical activity.
Whatever you do to improve your physical health also works wonders for your mental health. Make small changes because they will add up and make a huge difference for you.