Exercise, Sleep and Nutrition
Is Your Physical Health Affecting Your Mental Well-being?
When we're not feeling our best, it's easy to assume it's due to anxiety, stress, or depression. We often search through our past experiences or current circumstances for answers, sometimes overlooking another critical factor: our physical health. While exploring emotional and psychological causes is important—especially with the support of a counsellor—it's equally crucial to consider potential physical contributors to how we're feeling.
There are several physical conditions that can significantly impact our mental wellness. Common culprits include:
Low Vitamin D Levels: This can lead to mood swings, fatigue, and a general sense of feeling unwell.
Iron Deficiency: Often manifests as tiredness, irritability, and even depression.
Thyroid Imbalances: Both overactive and underactive thyroid can mimic anxiety or depressive symptoms.
Allergies: Chronic allergies can drain energy and affect mood.
Blood Sugar Levels: Fluctuations can cause irritability, anxiety, or a sense of being overwhelmed.
Nutrition and Hydration: What we eat, and drink plays a massive role in our mental state. Poor nutrition or dehydration can leave us feeling sluggish, unfocused, or down.
Physical Activity and Sleep: Regular exercise and adequate sleep are foundational to feeling mentally and physically balanced. A lack of either can easily lead to chronic fatigue, low mood, or irritability.
Sleep:
The Importance of Sleeping Well in a Stressful Environment:
This video includes some strategies and tipes to sleep better such as: strategies and tips on how to combat daytime stress and bedtime worries, ways to optimise what you can control in your sleep environment, and focused attention and muscle relaxation exercises to do before bed to help you to get to sleep.
Further Reading:
How does Sleep Relate to Mental Health
Young People and Sleep
Calming Stories to Listen to Before Falling Asleep
Tips for Improving Sleep
Exercise:
Further Reading:
How are physical activity and mental health connected?
Exercise and Mental Health
How exercise eases symptoms of anxiety and depression
Exercise and Mental Health
Nutrition:
Further Reading:
Food and Mental Health
Nutritional Psychiatry: Your Brain on Food
Food for Thought: Mental Health and Nutrition Briefing (March 2017 Report)
Watch ARTE-documentary "Unhappy - Happiness and Food":
Take Charge of Your Health:
Scheduling regular health check-ups, including blood tests, can help detect deficiencies or imbalances early on, potentially saving you from unnecessary distress. Addressing these physical health aspects might offer quicker relief compared to only pursuing counselling.
For more detailed information on how your physical health can impact your mental well-being, check out the resources below. And remember, don't hesitate to reach out to your agency's staff counsellor, VIC Medical Services, or your General Practitioner for personalized advice.
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