Even though body and mind are viewed as separate things, physical and mental health are very closely related. Having good physical health will positively affect your mental health and vice versa. But if you have poor mental health, it will affect your physical health. Being physically active and just being physically healthy will play a drastic role in how you feel mentally.
Chronic Diseases
What a lot of people don’t realize is just how many chronic diseases are linked to causing mental health issues. There have been researches that have shown that those who have respiratory diseases, as well as heart ones, can be linked with having schizophrenia. Dealing with chronic illnesses is hard enough on its own and dealing with mental health issues will make it harder.
Sleeping Problems
Those who are suffering from sleeping problems are very likely to be struggling with mental health issues. People who are suffering from insomnia have a hard time staying and falling asleep. And finally, Those who are struggling with sleep apnea are having breathing problems which will cause them to wake up frequently. Not being able to sleep will not only cause conditions such as anxiety and depression, but they can also make them much worse.
Diet
What a lot of people don’t realize is just how important having a well-balanced diet is for your mental health. By having a healthy diet that is filled with essential fats, proteins, water as well as complex carbohydrates you will influence your mental health. Things you eat can not only prevent many mental health issues but it can also help manage them.
Exercise
Being physically active is the best way you can ensure that you are physically active while you are also improving your mental health. There have been many types of research that have shown that doing exercises and just moving your body will produce more endorphins which are also known as feel-good chemicals. Doing even short bursts of exercises like walking will still help your mental state and put you in a better mood.
Being physically active means that you are moving your body in a way so your muscles are moving and you are using energy. Anything from running a marathon to walking your dog will improve the quality of your mental health. It doesn’t matter if you have a fully equipped at-home gym with power racks or you are doing jumping jacks in your bedroom, both your mental and physical health will benefit from it.
How Physical Activity Can Improve Your Mental Health
In recent years there have been multiple studies that have proven that being physically active has a lot of benefits for those who are struggling with mental health. In addition to having benefits for those who are struggling with depression and anxiety, it is also a great relief for conditions such as menopause as well as nicotine abstinence.
The relationship between exercise and improving your mood is not a universal one. That means that those who are not struggling with mental health and still exercise are generally in a better mood than those who don’t. But there isn’t enough research to prove that there is an association between exercising and being in a better mood when it comes to those who aren’t struggling with their mental health.
What has been proven is that living a healthy physical life even when you’re not struggling will lead to better self-esteem, satisfaction with how you look as well as general well-being.
On the other hand, research has proven that those who are struggling with anxiety, depression, and other disorders who aren’t taking care of themselves physically will risk being much worse than those who take care of their bodies.
If you feel like you are struggling it is important that you seek help from others. There is nothing that will help you feel calm and safe than talking to your family or friends. Talking about your mental health and feelings will help you deal with the difficult situation and reduce the burden you feel. Not keeping your emotions bottled up and being healthy will lead to becoming an overall happy and healthy person.
Author bio
Allan Wickerson is a passionate blog writer who is extremely keen on writing about health, lifestyle, home improvement, and technology. His exclusive hobby is surfing the net to find amazing articles. He loathes being a common person who wastes his time. Follow him on Twitter.
