According to researchers, physical and mental health are much more closely related than previously thought. An individual might experience problems if their mental or physical health is out of balance.
By understanding how our bodies and minds interact, you’ll be better able to make decisions that will benefit your health. Below listed are factors that connect your physical health to your mental well-being.
- Smoking
Smoking has a detrimental effect on several body processes, including your physical endurance. The amount of oxygen your lungs, heart, and muscles receive decreases when you smoke. As a result, you become less physically fit. It may also aggravate existing diseases like osteoporosis by causing inflammation in your bones and joints.
Moreover, the brain’s production of the chemical dopamine is stimulated by nicotine. People with depression are frequently found to have low levels of it and may use cigarettes to raise it momentarily. Smoking, however, promotes the brain to turn off the process that produces dopamine, which, over time, causes the supply to decline and leads people to smoke more. You must overcome your nicotine addiction if you want to improve your physical and mental health.
With the correct amount of commitment and assistance, you can accomplish this at home, but if your habit is too severe, you may need to check into a rehab facility and avail of their detox services to get rid of the habit.
- Genetics
According to a recent study, many mental diseases that have been assumed to be genetically unique have some similarities. The discovery could suggest improved methods for identifying and treating these disorders. Physical health issues may be influenced by the same genes that make it more likely that you may experience mental health issues.
Scientists have long recognized that many psychiatric illnesses may run in families, indicating hereditary roots. This study advances our knowledge of the root causes of mental illnesses.
- Immune System and Depression
The most prevalent mental illness in the US, depression, affects more than just motivation and emotion. By impacting T-cell responses to bacteria and viruses, it can directly impact the immune system, making it easier to contract an illness and prolong its duration. An increase in the severity of asthma or allergies may also result from a compromised immune system.
Some study suggests that it might work the other way around, with the immune system perhaps being the cause of the depression. Stress, particularly ongoing stress, triggers an immune response in the brain. Depression may be common because of this inflammatory reaction. A recent study showed that when mice were subjected to repeated stress, it led to the release of cytokines which is a protein linked with inflammation. In simpler words, the immune system’s reaction to stress allowed the researchers to induce depressive symptoms.
Physical health is characterized by a strong immune system, although depression risks are increased when stress is present. A disheartening cycle could then result from depression, weakening the immune system even more. This situation demonstrates how many health issues have both a physical and a mental component.
- Fatigue and Mental Illness
Depression, stress, anxiety, and other mental illnesses can cause persistent feelings of weariness and fatigue. Science disputes the callous claim made by some people that “it’s all in your brain.” Mental fatigue is followed by physical sleepiness.
In a study conducted at Bangor University in Wales, participants of two control groups were given two different tests. The first one was to ride the bike, and the second one was to finish a ninety-minute activity that would stimulate their minds. It was seen that participants of the mental workout felt exhausted fifteen percent earlier than those who rode the bike.
Exhaustion and mental disease are closely related, and ongoing fatigue can quickly result in deterioration in physical health. People who are nervous or unhappy are less inclined to exercise. When they do take up exercise, they are more likely to give up too soon. Additionally, mental illness can make it difficult to practice good hygiene, which raises a person’s risk of being sick.
- Heart Health, Anger, And Anxiety
Anxiety-related stress and angry outbursts are harmful to the heart. The movie stereotype is unfortunately accurate, according to a study that looked at whether intense emotions can result in heart attacks.
The results supported what had been shown in earlier research and anecdotal evidence that moments of strong anger could operate as a trigger for a heart attack. A person’s risk of heart attack increases by 8.5 times in the two hours after an episode of extreme rage, which the study described as tense body language, clinched fists or teeth, and feeling “ready to burst.”
A heart attack probability increases 9.5 times more likely in the two hours after anxiety. Though heart attacks are typically far from the concerns of young people, the anger and anxiety associated with impulse control disorders can harm the developing hearts of these individuals.
- Physical Movement
Physical activity in all its forms, whether it be a quick stroll at break time, commuting by foot or bicycle, or joining a gym, has been shown to be a reliable way to improve mental health.
Exercise not only increases serotonin levels in the brain but also strengthens muscles, improves posture, and helps people lose weight, all of which positively impact one’s mood and overall well-being. Some places of employment provide bike-to-work programs, while others work out group discounts at the neighborhood gym. However, encouragement of fitness need not be a cost to the company. It can be as easy as providing long enough breaks for workers to go for a stroll.
Conclusion
Mental and physical health are intricately linked. Physical health consists of a number of elements, including diet, power, flexibility, fitness, balance, body weight, and sleep. As with any other aspect of your self-care strategy, you might want to start by evaluating your present level of physical well-being. This will help you choose where you should concentrate your efforts to enhance your mental health.
