How Mental and Physical Health Go Hand-in-Hand

Car accidents can be stressful, and when you find yourself facing a painful injury, it can be emotionally draining. Your mental health has a direct effect on your physical health, and vice versa. Some people find it easier to focus on improving their mental health when they are physically subdued, while others struggling mentally can find solace in working on their physical health which has a more concrete and tangible process. Regardless of your situation, taking care of all aspects of your health is important, and being aware of their relationships to one another can only help your recovery process. Read on to understand how mental and physical health go hand-in-hand.

How Mental Health Affects Physical Health

Poor mental health can physically drain you. Aside from lacking motivation to get up and do things you might have enjoyed in the past, depression can literally cause fatigue and difficulty sleeping, sometimes snowballing into sleep disorders. It has also been linked to digestive issues, increase in headaches, and decreased immune systems which lead to other illnesses. The stress that can be brought on either by anxiety or other mental health illnesses is also hard on your body, linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, and calcium build up. In extreme cases, poor mental health has even been shown to lead to a decreased life expectancy. 

On the other side of the coin, a healthy mental state can strengthen your body and lead to health benefits. For example, optimism has been linked to strong cardiovascular health. A positive outlook on life releases endorphins and other healthy chemicals to the brain, which has been shown to assist in healing from injuries. General feelings of happiness and hope relieve stress and tension throughout the body, making a person more flexible and less prone to injury.

Your brain is the control center for the rest of your body. By training it to do what you want and think positively, you are able to take control of your heart, kidneys, stomach, and other organs that contribute to your physical health. Trying meditation, mindfulness, and other practices is one way to work on your mental health each day.

How Physical Health Affects Mental Health

How you care for your physical health can also impact your mental health. Exercise is one known and encouraged way to improve your mental state, as it can cause your brain to release endorphins. It is also a way for many people to release stress, anxiety, or anger, helping ward off depression. Eating healthy food helps your mind think more clearly, allow you to feel more alert, and lessen mood swings. Overall, studies have found that better physical health can boost your mood and increase levels of confidence, supporting a mind-body connection.

Conversely, when you are not taking care of your body, your mental health struggles. People who are facing long-term health challenges are about 33% more prone to experience mental illnesses. High blood sugar can disrupt blood flow to the brain, impacting and diminishing function.

Taking care of your body allows your mind to function at peak performance levels. By doing small things every day to improve your physical health, your mind will be better off as well, whether that be through direct effects such as neurochemicals, or secondary effects such as decreased stress and increased motivation. Incorporating exercise, a good diet, and regular checkups into your routine is a great way to take care of your health.

Taking care of both

Your mind and your body work together to help you recover from an accident. It’s important to consider the effects that your actions have on your entire recovery process, rather than neglecting one aspect. That’s why after a car accident, Accident Treatment Centers are ready to help you cover all your bases by setting you up with a case worker. They will coordinate communication with your doctors, insurance, and attorneys, so that you can recover stress free and focus on your complete health.

Contact us here to start your treatment and recovery journey.