Being physically healthy is about more than the absence of disease- it's about feeling GOOD and actively aiming to optimize your wellness. It's important to take a look at our physical health through the lens of "deep health" so that you can be healthy OVERALL. I gave an introduction on deep health in a previous blog post here to explain what it is, however to put it super briefly, it’s how the 6 different areas of deep health affect our overall wellness AND how they affect each other.
Let's talk about what physical health is...
Physical health is how our body feels and functions. Examples of this would be things like...
feeling healthy and energized vs feeling sick and tired.
Being able to walk up stairs with little effort vs getting really winded or experiencing joint pain.
Having good blood test results vs having high cholesterol or low vitamin D.
Being able to move well vs having limited range of motion due to tightness and stiffness.
And so on...
Your physical health will affect other areas of your deep health and today we're going to focus on the connection to mental health- more specifically anxiety and stress.
Stressors on your physical health are things like illness, injury, poor sleep, poor nutrition, and lack of movement. Over time these things will add up and could create issues in your mental health. For example:
If you're sick you're probably not going to work which could mean you're not making money which can stress you out about getting your bills paid.
If you're not eating well or exercising you're likely going to be foggy-brained, low energy, and not operating at your best which could in turn make you anxious about making a mistake or dropping a ball somewhere.
If you're not sleeping well then it's likely that you're not only low energy, but also irritable and reaching for caffeine and easy snacks to keep you awake- which can lead to sugar crashes, jitters, and increased anxiety.
See how all these physical aspects of health can take a toll on your mental health?
Let's look at the flipside before you get too bummed out!
Recovery practices (aka self-care practices) may be something that you feel like you're not good at or maybe you think they don't actually make much of a difference, but don't despair, just like stressors can add up and have negative impacts so can recovery practices add up and have positive impacts!
Spending time on self-care in one area can help boost another area as well. Plus self-care practices are a SKILL. They aren't something you're just innately good at necessarily- especially with the "go hard, sleep is for the weak" mentality we our surrounded by these days. So even if you don't feel like you're good at self-care and recovery you can BECOME really good at it!
So, what does recovery look like when it comes to physical health and how does it impact anxiety and stress?
Recovery behaviors could be things like:
Eating healthy food options most of the time
Incorporating regular exercise into your life
Making sure to get enough good quality sleep each night
Drinking enough water
And just think...
If you're doing the above things you're going to be more resilient against sickness, which means not missing work and then there's reduced stress around paying your bills.
If you're eating healthy foods and getting the nutrients that you need, plus getting some kind of daily movement in, then you're going to reduce anxiety around forgetting something because you'll feel like you're ON TOP OF THINGS.
If you're sleeping well that means you'll make better decisions around what you eat, you'll have the energy to exercise, and you'll likely avoid the jitters and sugar crash that can come from sugary caffeinated beverages- which means reduced anxiety!
Clearly it's super important to take care of your physical health for the sake of your mental health and vice versa.
Take a minute to consider your own circumstances...
Are you basically on a caffeine drip through the day? And feel like you're constantly fighting anxiety?
Are you typically feeling low energy or foggy-brained? Then find yourself stressed about getting things done right or on time?
Do you feel stiff, tight, or struggle with joint pain? Then feel defeated and like you're stuck this way?
Do you struggle to move well like going up stairs or getting up from a chair? Then beat yourself up for struggling?
Seeing the connections?
Now is the time to start making small changes to improve your physical health so you can, in turn, help your mental health as well! It's getting towards the end of 2024, but there's no reason to wait for the new year to get here! Just think where you could be once January 1st rolls around if you start NOW! It could be something really small like...
🍎 adding an apple to your lunch each day
💧 drinking more water each day (add 8 oz more than you are now each week)
🚶♀️ taking a 10 minute walk in the morning
📴 getting off socials 30 minutes or more before bed so you can wind down
🤸♀️ sign up for a class at your local gym
Small healthy behaviors bring about more healthy behaviors.
It may seem really hard right now, but the more you do it the easier it gets.
You'll find that the more often you add healthier things in you won't even want to do or have the less healthier things all that much.
You'll want Taco Bell less. (Personal experience of mine!)
You'll want pop less.
You'll miss it when you don't workout.
You'll reach for the candy bar in the checkout line less often.
All it depends on is you getting started!
If you know your physical health is impacting your mental health because stress and anxiety are whoopin' your🍑 and you just don't feel good then I'll bet this post is speaking to you and you're ready for change. Maybe you feel unsure what moves to make or like you need some guidance and accountability. If that's the case then my SNAP Method could be just what you need because it helps reduce anxiety and stress through exercise, nutrition, and self-care practices. To learn more about it and if it would be a fit for you email me at janna@jl-wellness.com.
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