Something that I have long found curious is the way in which people treat their mental and physical health as distinct entities. If someone says “I’m on a health kick” they mean diet and exercise, rarely are they investing in their mental health.
While people worry incessantly about their expanding waistlines, it is usually only when they reach crisis point that they start to focus on their minds.
We all know on a logical level that our brains and bodies are interconnected, but we somehow forget this when we are pushing our stress levels to the max, answering emails when we should be asleep, or de-stressing by finishing off a bottle of wine.
Visible or not very single one of our functions – from the way we move, breath, think, sleep and feel – is tied to the relationship between our minds and bodies. If one is out of whack so too will be the other.
Bottom line, if you are inactive and have a poor diet this will affect your ability to cope, depress your moods and accentuate your anxiety. Likewise, if you allow yourself to get trapped in a cycle of overwhelm, negative thoughts or reactivity you will struggle to stay motivated, to sleep, to eat well or to keep off weight.
Learning to manage unhealthy thoughts, meditating, exercising, stretching, having a vision, eating well – all these are critical to lifting energy levels and promoting overall wellbeing.
So next time you think about your health – don’t just consider what you are doing for your body – think what you’re doing for your mind.
Invest in both and you will reap the benefits ten-fold.
