While it’s key to be mentally well to get out of bed and tackle your day, your physical health is also vital to your mind working at its best. When both are strong, you can set goals and have the energy and focus to accomplish them. We embrace life and enjoy it more fully.

Similarly, just as your healthy body fights off infections, your balanced brain can withstand more stress and regulate emotions better. If you get hit with a personal crisis, a vibrant you is more resilient as you bounce back.

With that in mind, here are some ways to stay in optimal health so every part of you works in concert and helps you reach your potential.

Work Out

Regular exercise is good for your lungs, heart, joints, and muscles, so why not for your mind as well? Research has shown that it can have as much of an impact as psychotherapy if you have depression or anxiety. Within five minutes of starting an aerobics class – or other heart-pumping activity – you lower your anxiety level.

A mobile body empowers you, taking away feelings of hopelessness or powerlessness. That puts you in a better mood, with a lower incidence of anger, tension, or fatigue. When you feel better, which means you are less likely to binge eat or overindulge in alcohol or drugs.

Since you may slim down or become more muscular, you automatically feel better about yourself. And when you’re focused on counting reps or your basketball opponent, you will block out your troubles for a while. Even better, you can build camaraderie with team members or other gym members as you cheer each other on. Social interaction is a key determinant of strong mental health as you have a sounding board and people to bond with.

You cannot ignore the power of the so-called “runner’s high” – that sweet spot where you feel a rush of euphoria from achieving a milestone or just hitting the zone where your body is moving fluidly. All pain disappears and you feel a rush. 

Endorphins work this magic by working with your neuro-receptors to give relief from pain; boost the immune system; and delay the aging process. Exercise stimulates the release of these blissful messengers, sending depression-fighting, stress-lowering chemicals throughout your system. This may hit you 10 minutes into a run or half-hour into your swim. Regardless, they inspire you to work out again. Consistency is vital to an effective workout program and these highs help.

Feed Your Brain

What you eat doesn’t just affect your waistline. If you clog your arteries with fat or spike your blood sugar levels with sweets, it also slows down your brain. Your mind loves fresh food and thrives when you feed it fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. The Standard American Diet of fried or processed food undermines its performance so switch up your diet if you haven’t already.

The bites that go into your mouth become the building blocks for our brains to produce hormones and neurotransmitters which control our sleep patterns, moods, and subsequent behaviors. By giving your bodies vitamin-rich foods without trans fats, you enhance your ability to think clearly, with fewer highs and lows. If you refuel consistently throughout the day, you keep yourself balanced and in control.

Lower Your Barometer of Stress

You will likely never get through a week without some stress. However, how you respond to it can either multiply or diminish its effects. Even happy events that impart changes cause some stress, such as a wedding or adoption. But any adaptation can throw you off your routine.

Some simple physical routines can alleviate your sense levels. Pay attention to your breathing — frequency and depth. Also, attune yourself to clenched fists or other tension in your body and try to release it. Sometimes, tightening those muscles sends a signal to let them go a few seconds later.

We need stress to deal with certain situations. It fires up our hormones and makes us focus on an issue. Yet, you must learn to ease up after that tense moment, otherwise chronic stress will cause you headaches, heart disease, memory loss, ulcers, and diabetes. If you are already vulnerable to depression or anxiety, stress will make that condition worse.

First of all, identify what is causing your stress and try to deal with it. The trigger may be obvious, but it may have an underlying issue. Perhaps you are putting more emphasis on a long-ago conflict than you need to. If you are sensitive to others’ reactions, maybe it’s time to engage less with a snarky comment or an eye roll. Don’t let other people’s perceived opinions ruin your day or get into your head.

External stresses can be short-term as you adapt to a new job or life after a divorce. However, internal stressors are often replayed on a soundtrack of internal voices, so be aware and careful about what you tell yourself. What you hear will affect your attitudes and behaviors.

Here are some tips on how to set off your relaxation response:

• Add meditation or breathing awareness to every day to realign your outlook in a more positive way. Bringing fresh oxygen into your body helps your circulatory system and your brain.
• Be kind to yourself. Don’t give in to peer pressure to work longer hours or go out after work if you don’t want to. Instead, commit time and resources to the things you love and that bring you joy. Find people, hobbies, and volunteer activities that light up your life and make ample time for them.
• Visualize yourself succeeding to prepare you for stressful situations. Picture yourself as a winner and you increase your confidence and odds of success.
• Don’t keep your emotions pent up. Talk with friends or family members about what is bothering you and try to find constructive solutions. Learn from others’ experiences and accept help when it is offered. You will feel better and they will too since humans thrive on helping each other.

Reference: https://toronto.cmha.ca/documents/benefits-of-good-mental-health/