Mental and physical health are deeply connected. If you ever feel energetic, happy, or in a good mood. You might notice that you feel more motivated to get out of bed and do something productive, whether that’s going for a walk or jog, swimming, hanging out with friends, or even walking to the park. You might feel better and more refreshed compared to how you feel when you stay in your room all day. Improvement or decline in your mental health or physical health can have a similar effect on the other. This is because factors like stress, sleep, and lifestyle choices or habits can affect the mind and body, all reacting in different ways. Some things you could do that could improve your mental health are:
- Getting regular exercise
- Eat healthy, regular meals, and stay hydrated
- Make sleep a priority
- Try a relaxing activity
- Set goals and priorities
- Practice gratitude
- Focus on positivity
- Stay connected
- Take a break or a deep breath
- Snack wisely
Mental health can affect the rest of the body in either positive or negative ways, depending on whether you give your body what it needs. The negative ways your mental health could affect your body are diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Now, what is physical health?
Physical health can be defined as the normal functioning of the body. It represents one dimension of all well-being, how your body grows, feels, moves, and how you care for it. The human body was designed to move, so lack of exercise decreases the range of motion within the body’s joints and can cause swelling and dysfunction in limbs and muscles, as blood flow stops throughout the body the longer we aren’t moving. It also contributes to a decline in physical, mental, and physiological health.
We often don’t worry about our physical health until something happens that majorly affects it, as an injury or a sickness. It is important to regularly monitor our physical health so we can prevent injuries and sicknesses. Leading on something that really affects our physical health is sleep and recovery, as it is usually an overlooked tool to enhance health and performance. Getting an average amount of sleep helps to prevent heart disease and increased illness and disease. This is important to prioritize because it also connects back to your mental and physical health. If you don’t get an average amount of sleep every night, you might end up feeling exhausted in the morning and end up feeling unmotivated.
Sometimes our bodies are being overworked, and then we do need a day to lie in bed, and make time to relax and do nothing. Balance is always key, so when you notice your body needs something, try to give it what it’s asking for, as if that is also caring for your well-being. Stress can be one of the major factors in harmful interactions between mental and physical health, and sometimes it can take over. So try and make time for yourself and remove distractions while focusing on the present moment.
Everything in our body is intertwined in some way. Maybe try listening to those signs your body needs something, and find ways to prioritize your mental and physical health. Then you might notice your mindset has changed, and you feel more carefree, relieved, or more energized. All of those things are a good sign of an increase in your well-being!
