Let’s go back in time to when you are in high school. It is the end of the school year and you have so many projects, essays and tests to prepare for. Your brain feels like it is buzzing and you are so overwhelmed with getting everything done. Then, just to put a cherry on top, you get sick. You are coughing, sneezing and have body aches. And the cycle of seemingly never ending stress and anxiety continue! This lovely memory paints a picture of how truly interwoven our brain and our bodies really are. As defined by Calm, the mind-body connection is a “two-way relationship where the mind influences the body and the body influences the mind.” When we are in heightened states of arousal both our minds and our bodies are impacted and activated. Really understanding that our mental and physical bodies are very much connected could make a big difference in your overall lifestyle and health.
The Foundation
Did you know there is a nerve (it is actually the longest cranial nerve) called the vagus nerve that runs directly from our brains to our intestines? It acts as a “two lane highway” as it impacts a variety of processes in our bodies including: digestion, blood pressure, immune system functioning, our mood, skin and muscle sensations and much more. According to Health (2021) about 1 in 3 people with a long-term physical health problem also struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety disorders or depression. By stimulating the vagus nerve through humming or signing we can actually even help calm our gut and our brains!
Therefore, when we hear people tell us how important it is to take care of ourselves physically, they should also be saying “Don’t forget to take care of your brain too!”. These two buddies are like inseparable best friends who want to have endless sleepovers! So just how do we harmonize these “best friends” in our body? How can we unite these systems and begin thinking of them as one?
The Powers at Play
Exercise: The Physical and Mental Benefits
- Exercise releases “feel good” chemicals in the human body, otherwise known as endorphins. When endorphins are released our stress levels, mood, memory and brain function are impacted. So is the quality of our sleep and the level of protection we receive against chronic diseases. According to the CDC, as little as 30 minutes a day of exercise or physical activity can help decrease anxiety, increase our overall mood and contribute to improved health and a longer life span. Make exercise fun by engaging in an active lifestyle: join or create a walking club, swim in one of your local lakes or pools, or take your kiddos on an outdoor scavenger hunt. Exercise, movement and physical activity can also be fun and are most sustainable when stacked with other parts of our busy lives (kids, food, work, community, etc.)!
Finding Peace: The Role of Meditation
- Ohm! Meditation is an ancient practice that dates back thousands of years. Meditation or mindfulness is really just the practice of becoming aware of our bodies in order to help us relax our whole selves, brain and body. It has been linked to a decrease in stress, anxiety and depression as well as an increase in brain health, attention and focus and overall lifestyle. According to a 2017 survey completed by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative health, “the percentage of adults who practice some form of meditation has tripled from 2012 to 2017, from 4.1 percent to 14.2 percent.” Schools are now even incorporating mindfulness programs into their everyday exercises and routines to help teach children at a younger age the importance of being attuned to our bodies. Due to the increase in popularity there are now so many fun and easy ways to meditate using apps or short YouTube videos. Check out Headspace for some free, short guided meditations. Look to meditation to help decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve overall health over time if practiced consistently.
Harmony in Motion: The Practice of Yoga
- Have you done your vinyasa flow today? Yoga is the gentle practice of focusing on breathwork and slow, fluid movements of the body. Yoga can be a form of moderate exercise or a way to slow down and focus inward. It has an abundance of physical and mental health benefits including increased strength, flexibility and balance, improved mood and energy and it has even be found to ease aches and pains within the body. Yoga is a type of exercise that can accommodate all body types, all physical needs, and can reward yogis with immense health and lifestyle payoffs, no matter the amount of physical activity included in the yoga itself.
Nourishing the Body and Mind: The Importance of Nutrition
- You know that feeling when you find a new recipe that looks amazing and your mouth immediately starts watering? Yeah, that is the power of food! We all generally know that nutrition and diet can really impact our overall health and wellbeing. We supposedly learn healthy eating habits when we are in elementary school. However, sometimes these habits can be hard to keep up when fast food culture and lifestyle seem to surround us and we live in such a busy society. But what we fuel our bodies with contributes to our mood, energy levels, weight, and chronic health diseases. Grab some easy, healthy snacks to keep on hand, and remember to drink that water. There is a true food and mood relationship, so keeping some focus on what you put into your body is very important for overall health.
Recharging: The Power of Sleep
- All those parents out there get just how dysfunctional you feel when running on little sleep! When we lack sleep we tend to become a bit shorter with our friends and significant others, and feel like we are swimming in a dense fog. Fueling our body with movement and nutrition needs to be balanced with rest and relaxation. We are not energizer bunnies! The amount of sleep we need differs based on age and other health factors. But the general recommendation from Mayo is for at least 7 hours of sleep for adults ages 18 years and older. Sleep helps us feel more balanced emotionally and physically and improves our memory and focus. If you struggle with sleep try using some herbal teas or sleep meditation apps to help relax your body and mind.
Building Connections & Finding Joy: The Value of Social Interaction and Hobbies
- Our support systems are created from those people we surround ourselves with. They are there to help cheer us up, comfort us and join in to share our fun moments in life. We need to surround ourselves with supportive and connected people; this feeds our innate sense to belong. When we feel like we belong and are cared for, we actually experience less depression and anxiety and we also feel better physically. The American Medical Association states “Loneliness and social isolation can lead to a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, anxiety, depression, and memory issues.” There is enough evidence that spending time with the right people can improve our health. So call your people (or meet some new people) and do something you love! Go for a hike (or do some type of physical activity), read a book, enjoy a new restaurant, color, learn a new instrument. Do something that just makes you happy!
Professional Help: The Impact of Therapy
- Speaking to a therapist can be scary and uncomfortable at first, but connecting with trained mental health professionals
when we are experiencing heightened levels of stress, anxiety and depression aids in alleviating these symptoms. When we don’t talk or process our feelings they tend to get stuck in our bodies. It is usually at this point we will notice an increase in physical symptoms and wear and tear on our bodies. Just picture a volcano that is building and building, until one day it just explodes, leaving behind an insurmountable amount of ruble. Prioritizing our mental health makes us feel valued and important which contributes to us feeling physically better about health and overall self. Therapy helps us gain coping skills, process and deal with our emotions and provides additional resources during times of need or for specific mental health conditions. There are even loads of support groups offered in communities that are geared towards so many unique and individual needs.
Embrace a Healthier You Today
The fuel for our brain is the fuel for our bodies! Becoming aware and strengthening the mind-body connection creates a sense of harmony and synergy within our whole selves.
Take care of all the parts that make you you!
Blog written by Sentier therapist, Bridgett Brye, MSW, LICSW
Sources:
American Medical Associate. (2023, July 14) What doctors wish patients knew about loneliness and health. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-loneliness-and-health#:~:text=Loneliness%20%E2%80%9Ccan%20have%20serious%20mental,memory%20issues%20and%20even%20death.%E2%80%9D
Calm. (n.d). Mind-body connection: what is it and how to strengthen it. https://www.calm.com/blog/mind-body-connection#:~:text=The%20mind%2Dbody%20connection%20is%20a%20two%2Dway%20relationship%20where,might%20influence%20our%20mental%20state.
Health, F. (2021, October 9). The connection between Mental and Physical health. https://www.frederickhealth.org/news/2021/october/the-connection-between-mental-and-physical-healt/
Mayo clinic. (2023). How many hours are sleep are enough for good health. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/faq-20057898
National center for complementary & integrative health. (2022). Meditation and mindfulness: what you need to know. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know