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Episode 31: The Close Connection Between Your Mental and Physical Health

Oct 25, 2022
The close connection between your mental and physical health

LISTEN: Apple Podcast | Spotify

When you’re thinking about your mental health and physical health, it may seem like a no-brainer that they’re so closely connected. However, it’s pretty easy to skip over the fact that taking care of yourself physically can help you so much mentally too. 

This topic has been on my mind even more lately, because I've been sick over the last few weeks, and I've been talking with clients who are struggling in this area too. I've personally battled more with my mental health over the last few years, and I know we all have in some way or another since the pandemic happened with Covid. I'm really glad this topic is getting more awareness now; my daughter's school volleyball team just held a fundraiser for an organization called 'Be Nice', and this event was focused on athlete mental health. I love that this is being talked about more openly in schools now, because it's not just adults who are affected.

I'm excited to shed some light on the topic of mental health and physical health, and help you see how these two important parts really do go hand in hand. 

In today’s episode, I’m talking about:

  • The increased awareness of mental health over the years, and how it’s so closely connected with your physical health
  • My own, beneficial experience with fitness through different seasons of life, and how it’s positively translated to my mental health

I also have 6 benefits of how working out can improve your mental health, which are:

  1.  Exercise releases chemicals (endorphins and serotonin) that improve your mood.
  2. Exercise gives you a sense of well-being, like you're doing something good for yourself.
  3. Regular, consistent exercise has a positive effect on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also improves sleep, boosts mood, releases stress, and improves your memory.
  4. It can help you get out into the world and out of isolation, and you're more in touch with people (especially beneficial after experiencing quarantine and lockdown over the last couple of years), if you're a gym-goer.
  5. You can actually help your nervous system become 'unstuck' if you really focus your body and mind on how you're feeling when you're exercising (the movements, your joints, etc.). This is especially beneficial if you're dealing with any sort of trauma, PTSD, and any kind of negative emotions.
  6. Exercises gives you a higher self-esteem, more confidence, greater resilience, and you feel like you're in control of something.

The close connection between your mental and physical health is vital, but it's also okay to separate them when you need to.

I’ve personally experienced so many benefits to my mental health over the years, just by being consistent with my workouts; I get to see the same things with the ladies I coach too. As women especially, we experience many of the same struggles, and it’s extremely important that we take care of ourselves physically, because it really does translate mentally (and vice versa).

If you need to take time to focus on one area and separate the two, it’s okay to do that. I don’t want you to be afraid to ask for help, because you’re never alone on this journey, and you’re worth taking care of!

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