You have probably heard from everyone (your neighbour to your doctor) about how mental health and physical well-being are linked. So, let’s explore that in this blog–how mental health can impact our physical well-being and vice versa.
Mental health impacts our physical well-being in numerous ways– for instance, chronic stress can result in long-term release of stress hormones, which can have an impact on your respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems (American Psychological Association, 2023). Disorders such as depression have also been found to negatively impact our immune system (Aarons et al., 2008). Read Robin’s blog on depression here. Additionally, to deal with stress, individuals may engage in behaviors such as consuming more caffeine, alcohol, and smoking that may also negatively affect their physical health (Stults-Kolehmainen & Sinha, 2014).
Furthermore, poor physical health can also negatively impact our mental health: having a physical condition and/or illness increases the likelihood of developing mental health conditions (Doherty & Gaughran, 2014). Conversely, engaging in activities that boost your physical well-being, like physical activity, can have a positive impact on your overall mental health; research has found that regular physical exercise is linked to lower release of stress hormones and improvements in self-esteem (Mahindru et al., 2023). It is important to note that physical activity can encompass many things, and that exercise is just one component of physical activity (Stults-Kolehmainen & Sinha, 2014). Maybe think back to your personal experience-you may have gone for a walk if you ever stressed, or have done some other form of physical exercise like dancing or yoga. Think back to how getting that physical activity made you feel! Research shows that physical activity is beneficial to our mental health (Stults-Kolehmainen & Sinha, 2014).
As noted above, the connection between physical health and mental well-being is extensive. However, sometimes getting that regular physical activity in can be challenging. We all have work, responsibilities, and the stressors related to our work or other responsibilities can make it challenging to engage in any form of physical activity (Stults-Kolehmainen & Sinha, 2014).
Here are some recommendations on how to get some physical activity in despite all of the different responsibilities and stressors that may exist in daily life.
Start Small
Official Global guidelines recommend that people get about 150 minutes of exercise every week, which is about 2.5 hours, and roughly about 20 minutes every day (World Health Organization [WHO], 2024). However, that number can seem daunting, especially when you have numerous responsibilities, and physical activity is just not a priority. But, sometimes, just getting started is the goal. It can seem challenging at first, but just getting started with a small goal and then increasing the amount in increments can be useful. Maybe start by engaging in 5-10 minutes of physical activity every day. Start by doing what is comfortable for you!
Do what you have fun in
You do not have to run a marathon or lift weights as a form of physical activity. As noted previously, exercise is deemed to be one component of physical activity (Stults-Kolehmainen & Sinha, 2014). Physical activity can encompass multiple activities such as walking to and from the bus stop, dancing, sports, and other recreational activities that involve movement (WHO, 2024). WHO defines physical activity as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure” (2024, para.1). All this to say, physical activity does not have to be boring and/or tedious. Maybe instead of driving to your nearby coffee shop, you can walk there. You can engage in physical activity in numerous ways—keep yourself open to different possibilities of getting physical activity through things that you have fun doing.
Include your family and friends
Doing things in a group, or with friends and family, can help. It can help you stick to your plan or routine of physical activity (whatever that is) and make it more enjoyable. You can join a group, community, and/or team. Some researchers state that doing physical activities can have multiple beneficial aspects: not only does it help with adhering to the activity that you are doing, but it can also help you socialize (Davis et al., 2021). If there is a particular activity you enjoy, see if you can join a team, and/or involve your friends and family.
Set a Goal and a Routine
This may or may not work for you but designating a specific time of the day and/or days of the week to get your physical activity can also be beneficial. You may find it easier to adhere to it if you have included it in your routine for the day. Also, sometimes having goals can be useful (read Angela’s blog on making resolutions that stick). You may have heard of the acronym SMART when defining goals. SMART stands for Small, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed goals; it can be helpful to use this model for establishing your physical activity goals (Bailey, 2017).
Physical Activity and Sleep
Do you feel like you get better sleep after an extensive workout? Some studies show that exercise can improve the quality and quantity of sleep; getting good sleep is very important, and lack of sleep can often have negative effects on cognitive ability, mood, and immune function (Mahindru et al., 2023). So, engaging in exercise might also help you sleep better at night, which will have an overall impact on your mental well-being. Exercise is just one way to improve your sleep, there are various ways you can improve your sleep.
Find alternative ways to deal with stress
As mentioned earlier, at times, under stress, individuals may find it easy to engage in certain behaviors such as consuming more alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and other substance abuse (Stults-Kolehmainen & Sinha, 2014). In such instances, it can be important to be aware of how certain substances or behaviors may be impacting your overall physical health. Finding alternative ways to cope with stress can be challenging, but starting with different self-care activities is always helpful.
Take the pressure off
Sometimes developing routines or habits that improve our physical well-being can be challenging, especially when it pertains to physical activity; sometimes, it takes time to develop these habits and/or routine (Stults-Kolehmainen & Sinha, 2014). If you are feeling worried and stressed that you are unable to meet your goals, take some pressure off yourself! Know that you are trying your best, and that you eventually meet the goals that you have set for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Physical and mental health are intertwined and have strong effects on each other, and physical activity can have positive impact on mental health (Stults-Kolehmainen & Sinha, 2014).
- Exercise is one component of physical activity, and there are different ways to get physical activity (Mahindru et al., 2023: WHO, 2024).
- Engaging in physical activity can be fun–include your friends and family, do activities that you enjoy.
- Start off with small goals and build up to larger ones, and if you are unable to meet your goal and/or routine at the start, that is okay!
- Examine other habits that may also be impacting your overall physical health.
- Having a routine and goal can also be useful in creating a structure and give you something to work towards.
- Physical activity, such as exercise can help with sleep (Mahindru et al., 2023). Getting good sleep is also very important aspect of our mental health.
References
Aarons, G. A., Monn, A. R., Leslie, L. K., Garland, A. F., Lugo, L., Hough, R. L., & Brown, S. A. (2008). Association between mental and physical health problems in high-risk adolescents: A longitudinal study. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 43(3), 260–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.01.013
American Psychological Association. (2023, March 8). Stress Effects on the body. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body.
Bailey, R. R. (2017). Goal setting and action planning for health behavior change. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 13(6), 615–618. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827617729634.
Davis, A. J., MacCarron, P., & Cohen, E. (2021). Social reward and support effects on exercise experiences and performance: Evidence from parkrun. PloS One, 16(9), e0256546. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256546.
Doherty, A. M., & Gaughran, F. (2014). The interface of physical and mental health. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 49(5), 673-682. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-014-0847-7.
Mahindru, A., Patil, P., & Agrawal, V. (2023). Role of physical activity on mental health and well-being: A review. Cureus, 15(1), e33475. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33475.
Stults-Kolehmainen, M. A., & Sinha, R. (2014). The effects of stress on physical activity and exercise. Sports Medicine, 44(1), 81–121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0090-5
World Health Organization. (2024, June 27). Physical activity [Fact sheet]. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
