The Relationship Between Physical and Mental Health.
The relationship between physical and mental health is something that researchers have been looking into for years – and the results point towards something that we all know on a basic level – our physical health affects our mental health, and our mental health affects our physical health.
When it comes to any sort of physical performance, mental health and the right mindset can have a deep impact on the way we handle situations – but what does that mean on a physical level?
Before we investigate the relationship between mental and physical health, and the ways you can improve yours with things like brain workouts and eating well, let’s look at some definitions.
Mental Health
Mental health is the state of mental wellbeing that enables people to be able to learn, work well, contribute to society, and realise their potential, while being able to deal with the stresses of life.
People who have good mental health can contribute to their communities, they can make decisions, and build relationships with other people.
Mental health is a continuum or a spectrum, not experienced in the same way from one person to another – and the same can be said about mental health disorders.
Mental Health Disorders
Anything that interrupts the healthy working of the mind can be considered a mental health disorder. This can include things like psychological problems, depression, or anxiety, for example, but can also include things like addiction.
How to Improve Both Physical and Mental Health.
With the link between physical and mental health established and yet still being explored by scientists, there are a few things that you can do to improve both.
- Physical Exercise: As mentioned, physical health is a spectrum, and the fitter you are the better your body condition will be. Moving around more also releases endorphins which boosts your mental health, too.
- Eat well: A balanced, nutritious diet ensures that you have the essential vitamins and minerals as well as the right amount of essential food groups. This works for mental health too, as some foods have been recognised as important for your brain.
- Mental Exercise: Learning, brain training and even a game of poker helps build your brain tissue and your mental strength.
- Relaxation: Playing games, enjoying some self-care, or even working on things like meditation will make it easier for you to deal with stresses in your everyday life
- Sleep: Sleep is important for both mental and physical regeneration – you will find it easier to perform physically and mentally if you can get 6-8 hours of sleep every night.
- Reach Out: If you are concerned about your mental or physical health, don’t be afraid to reach out to professionals for support.
Mental health problems and psychosocial difficulties can have a profound effect on a person, causing significant distress and leading to the impairment of functioning on a personal and social level. If left unchecked, mental health disorders can lead to various types of self-harm (and harm to the community) and increase the risk of suicide.
What Can Affect Mental Health?
There are several factors that can affect a person’s mental health. Some are environmental, while others might be related to genetics or predisposition.
These include:
- Harsh parenting and physical punishment
- Bullying
- Lack of emotional management skills
- Poverty, deprivation, and inequality
- Violence
- Substance use
It is important to reiterate that mental health is a spectrum, so not everyone will react the same way to these risk factors.
Physical Health
Physical health describes the condition of the body, which can be limited by illness or injury.
Again, physical health is a spectrum that takes into consideration everything from just the absence of disease right through to fitness level and is critical for overall wellbeing.
What Can Affect Physical Health?
How healthy you are physically can be affected in different ways by different things. Some people will have similar risk factors and not react in the same way – everyone is different.
Some of the factors that can affect physical health include:
- Biology – the genetics and physiology of your body
- Lifestyle – diet, level of activity, whether you smoke or drink to excess.
- Where you live or work – exposure to chemicals, whether you get enough sunlight.
- Availability of healthcare services
The Link Between Mental and Physical Health
The strongest link between mental and physical health can be seen when looking into chronic physical conditions.
Research has shown that if you have poor mental health, you are more at risk of developing chronic physical conditions. Conversely, if you have a chronic physical condition, you are more at risk of developing a mental health condition.
Nearly one in three people with a physical health condition that is long-term will also have a mental health problem – usually depression or anxiety.
While this describes more chronic long-term issues, we can all remember a time where having even a cold or similar has made us feel miserable mentally and physically. The same can work with some mental health conditions, which have been recognised to have symptoms in our physical health. This might include anxiety making us feel nauseated or being sick, and depression causing insomnia as a quick example.
