Physical health and mental health are linked, but how much do they affect each other? Valleant takes a look at the latest findings in their new report. Check it out to learn about how you can improve your own overall health!
A healthy mind leads to a healthy body. Or is it the other way round? In truth, the line between mental and physical health is quite blurry; they both seem to affect each other in equal measure. If you want to learn about the details of this intimate connection, Valleant has compiled the scientific community’s most recent findings into its latest report, which you can read on its website.
Visit https://valleant.com/the-latest-findings-on-how-mental-health-relates-to-physical-health/ to read the full report.
Although the link between mental and physical health has long been documented, Valleant’s report says that recent research points to a growing need for integrated approaches to healthcare.
According to a study published in the World Psychiatry journal, individuals with severe mental disorders live 10 to 25 years less on average than those without mental illnesses, suggesting a strong connection between mental wellness and life expectancy.
Other studies are beginning to examine how physical health can affect mental well-being, with many scientists taking a translational approach to understanding the connection between the mind, brain, and body.
Additionally, it is known that physical activity plays a large role in mental health, and Valleant’s report says that the pandemic illustrates this fact. During the pandemic, many people exercised less due to lockdowns and concerns over contact with others, which correlates with a spike in mental health issues in the same period of time. Of course, there are other factors that contributed to this, like lack of social contact, but the fact remains that physical activity was at an all-time low for a lot of people, and that definitely didn’t help.
Similarly, poor mental health can cause or exacerbate chronic health conditions; for example, individuals with depression are more likely to develop heart disease, while those who suffer from anxiety tend to have high blood pressure or weaker immune systems. When you think about how bad these things can make you feel, it makes a lot of sense.
While the impact of physical health on mental health is still not as well understood as the inverse, Valleant’s report says that many emerging mental healthcare treatment plans involve nutrition programs, exercise programs, and other holistic methods, and the broader effects of these programs are a topic of increasing interest within the scientific community.
If professionals are starting to recommend integrated healthcare plans for their patients, you can take this approach for your life too.
In fact, on an individual basis, Valleant’s report notes that you can prevent physical disease by developing resilience through mindfulness techniques, strong social connections, and positive mindsets.
Conversely, lifestyle changes that promote a healthy diet, adequate physical activity, and good sleep hygiene will improve mental health outcomes by reducing stress and symptoms of existing mental health issues.
There are many other interesting facts that the report covers, and these can give you hints on how to manage your own health. If you want to learn more, you can visit https://valleant.com/the-latest-findings-on-how-mental-health-relates-to-physical-health/ to discover just how deep the link between the mind and body runs.