Taking care of your body and mind is essential to your overall well-being. In fact, physical and mental wellness are closely related and tend to affect one another. Optimal physical health is difficult to achieve without mental health and vice versa. Poor physical health can increase the risk of developing mental healthy problems. And the opposite is also true, mental health issues have been shown to affect physical health and can lead to increased risk of some physical conditions.
Risk factors for mental health issues include:
- Traumatic experiences (think violence or military combat)
- Recreational use of drugs or alcohol
- Chronic medical conditions (think cancer, diabetes, or heart disease)
- Stress (financial problems, divorce, death of a loved one or a stressful job)
These factors can lead to mental health issues like:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Addictive behaviors
Poor mental health can have lasting consequences on our physical health, our relationships with others and the way we view ourselves. When times are hard, stress, anxiety and fear can weaken us physically and mentally.
To that end, lifestyle choices are important for managing your physical and mental health, especially in times of crisis. Physical health not only refers to exercise, it includes conscious choices (think nutrition and alcohol/drug/tobacco consumption) one can make to avoid diseases and live a balanced life. Staying physically active is a lifestyle choice that is beneficial in many ways:
- Make your body stronger
- Lower blood pressure
- Improve circulation
- Prevent osteoporosis
Research shows that a 10-15 minute walk will increase alertness, your positive mood and release healthy endorphins and boost your energy. Physical activity can also lead to mental health improvements such as:
- Improvement in self image
- Better sleep
- Stress management
All of these benefits will aid in overall health, making you more equipped to take on the tension tough times can bring and ultimately helping you live longer.
Eating right and staying hydrated will positively influence your physical health as well. Stay away from fast food, prepackaged and overly processed foods as much as possible. Rather, try to focus on fresh food with an array of colors. Green should become one of your favorite food colors. Colorful fruits and vegetables offer the antioxidants needed to help your body fight against cancers, heart disease and hypertension. Eating a rainbow of fresh foods will help your body stay physically strong and boost your immune system.
Humans are 60% water but most people don’t drink enough water. Drinking plenty of water will:
- Aid in weight management by creating a feeling of fullness
- Allow better kidney function
- Lubricate your joints
- Deliver oxygen throught your body via your blood
- Boost skin health
- Regulate body temperature
- Maintain blood pressure
- Allow your digestive system to function
- Move the valuable minerals and nutrients through your body
- Boost performance during exercise
Finally, get a good night’s sleep. It’s recommended that adults get at least seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Staying on a sleep schedule also helps. The body relies on sleep as a time to repair muscles and organs as well as to reset and file away memories. Being well rested will help with cognitive and immune system function.
It’s clear that managing physical health has many components and is closely related with mental health. Both are equally necessary for us to be in the best shape possible to take on life’s stressors. Whatever the crisis may be, managing our physical and mental health allows us to fully participate in everyday life, manage the emotional ups and downs and maintain relationships with others.
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