Our minds and emotions can be greatly affected by how we treat our bodies. We know that physical health plays a role in mental health, but sometimes it can be challenging to focus on improving one when the other is struggling. Making even the smallest changes in your physical activities can have a huge impact on your mental well-being. Maybe you’re wondering when the best time to implement new habits is. There’s no time like the present to try something new and see how it affects your emotional health.
Here are a few tips on focusing on your physical health:
Set a routine.
Setting a daily routine is helpful in establishing positive habits that your body can come to rely on. Waking each day around the same time, eating at regular intervals, and planning a healthy nighttime routine before a reasonable bedtime can signal to our minds that there are certain grounding experiences in our daily practice that we can expect. Even when curveballs get thrown in our days, having at least some things that remain the same can be helpful in reminding us that we aren’t spiraling out of control.
Move every day.
We have all heard that exercising our bodies releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins that can improve our mental well-being. Any level of physical activity, even short bouts of exercise, can improve stress levels and self-esteem. There are many ways to be physically active, and nobody has to be an athlete to benefit from some form of activity. Low impact activities like yoga and pilates can help with anxiety and depression. Even a short 10-minute walk can improve both physical fitness and mood. Start by putting one foot in front of the other.
Go outside.
Did you know that experiencing nature can lower stress, decrease depression, and help manage anxiety? Nature-based activities can enhance overall well-being and increase perspective. Studies have shown that even just five minutes outside can help regulate the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating our heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugars. It can also help with our memory, attention span, and creativity. The benefits to our mental health of stepping outside and feeling the sunshine on our faces and the grass beneath our feet are boundless.
Prioritize sleep.
Babies and toddlers aren’t the only ones who need good sleep. Adults also need to practice good sleep habits. People who don’t receive enough sleep can experience elevated levels of confusion and depression. Prioritizing 7-9 hours of sleep each night helps improve mood and mental functioning. It also gives our bodies time to reset and recover from the emotional and physical tasks from the day before and prepares us for the day ahead.
Don’t undervalue the power of rest.
While we’ve spent a lot of time talking about physical habits or activities, we can’t overstate the need for rest. If you find yourself always in a frenzy, going from one task to the other, your body can get stuck in a stress-response mode, elevating cortisol levels in your body and increasing negative side-effects like heart issues, high blood pressure, and inflammation. Make sure to work some rest into your week. Life is all about balance, so allow yourself time where you aren’t always on the go.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet helps you feel and look your best, but it also can help balance your mood, increase your energy, and improve your concentration. And the opposite is also true. Eating poorly can actually increase stress, worsen depression, and make you feel fatigued and mentally slower. Processed foods are often high in sugars and refined carbohydrates, which train your brain to crave them even more. Reducing sugars and refined carbohydrates can actually change how your brain works, which is why nutritionists suggest focusing on eating nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon or walnuts), dark green leafy veggies, and lean proteins like chicken, eggs, nuts, and seeds.
Incorporating healthy physical habits in our daily routines can have a real impact on our mental health. Even if it’s not feasible to make all these changes, try making one or two and see how you feel before slowly incorporating more. Make self-care non-negotiable. If, for some reason, you get off track, that’s okay! Restart as soon as you can and enjoy the benefits. Remember that moving on the path to mental and emotional wellness is a marathon, not a sprint, and small incremental changes help you build new habits that will move you toward feeling your best.
