Physical and mental well being
January 15, 2022Physical and mental well being is not the same. One is the body’s overall condition, while the other refers to mental health. Mental well being can affect physical well being, but it can just as easily be said that physical health affects mental health as well. The body is an intricate machine and if anything goes wrong with one part of your body, it has a cascading effect on others areas of your life and vice versa.
Physical well-being is not something that you can buy at a drugstore, but rather something you develop by practicing healthy habits. Healthy eating and regular exercise, as well as building good relationships with family members and friends are great examples of ways to improve your physical health. Living a healthy lifestyle also helps ward off the stress of everyday life.
The definition of mental well-being is not so cut and dry because there isn’t one single factor that goes into it. Mental health solely depends on the individual and how they treat themselves, their surroundings, and their interactions with others. More often than not, mental health is closely related to the physical health of an individual. The body has the ability to recover from an illness, or a stress-related event by creating new blood cells, or eating a healthy diet. But this takes time and energy which could very well be used for other things besides recovery.
What are the causes of low physical and mental well-being?
Too much work, social isolation, lack of sleep and poor nutrition (often as a result of too much work) can all contribute to having a low degree of both physical and mental health. The same goes for emotional factors such as anxiety or depression. These can all lead to physical problems, or at least have a negative, long lasting effect on the body and mind.
Depression is a big contributor to low body and mental health. The constant irritation of stress not only causes reduced physical health, but also negatively affects the mind. Studies show that those living with depression are more likely to experience a faster rate of ageing than those who do not suffer from the condition. Not only does it change how you act and feel towards others, as well as yourself, but it also puts strain on your health by causing you to eat too much or smoking excessively.
If you think it’s not you suffering from depression, then keep in mind that nearly 80 percent of mental health issues are treatable. That’s a huge figure that means chances are there is someone in your life who could be suffering from depression, but it’s not always caused by your lifestyle.
Lack of sleep is another culprit to decreased physical as well as mental health. It wasn’t too long ago when we thought less sleep was better for everyone, but the science has shown otherwise. Not having enough sleep reduces a person’s physical health and mental well-being. Sleep is important for getting rid of negative emotions, building new blood cells for recovery, and even learning new skills. Those who are sleep deprived are also more likely to be overweight or obese.
Too much work without proper time to relax can lead to low mental health as well as a lack of physical health. Stress has been linked to many diseases in the past such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even stroke and Alzheimer’s. The body needs exercise and time away from work just like it needs sleep which is why it often happens that long hours at the office cause people to feel drained both physically as well as mentally.
How do you achieve physical and mental wellbeing?
Exercise. Healthy eating habits are important, but so is getting enough exercise to lose weight. The exercise should not only be about weight loss, but also about feeling better and having a healthy metabolism which in turn will help you lose fat faster. The crazier the workout is the better, because it forces your body to break down and rebuild muscle tissue.
Sleep properly and become a morning person in order for it to have a positive effect on your mental health as well as your physical health.
Drink lots of water, and stick to a healthy diet. Eliminating processed foods will not only make you feel better, but it will lead to a decreased chance of getting diabetes.
Exercise is good for the mind as well as the body because the endorphins released during exercise are linked to depression in those who suffer from it. It’s also been proven that exercise can help with depression by improving self-confidence. If you’re feeling down, taking a walk or going for a run are all great ways to elevate not just your mood but your overall physical health as well.
Meditate and regularly practice yoga. Meditation is a form of exercise and it is said to have positive effects on the body, mind, and even your spiritual well-being. When you do meditation you focus on your breathing, or on a particular word or thought for a period of time.
Sleep, healthy eating and exercise are the three major factors that contribute to both physical and mental well being. If you can identify the first two, then it’s a relatively easy task to take care of yourself. The same rule applies for emotional states like anxiety and depression, which are often treatable conditions as well. As we age, our potential does not just disappear, but instead we have to work harder towards it. If you’re experiencing low physical or mental health due to lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep or unhealthy eating habits it is time to take action and make a change for your own good.
These are just some of the many ways in which you can improve both your physical and mental health. It’s definitely worth spending some time working out and getting rest every week in order to boost mental and physical health. If you are looking for some new ways to do both, then check out 4 steps to increasing your mental and physical health.