The link between physical wellbeing and mental stress

Our minds and bodies are directly linked - our physical health impacts our mental health and our mental health affects our physical wellness. This month is Stress Awareness Month, which seems like a good time to explore the link between physical and mental health further.

The data linking physical and mental health

"Research shows that people with a mental health problem are more likely to have a preventable physical health condition such as heart disease." - Mental Health Foundation

The foundation continues by highlighting that "physical health problems significantly increase our risk of developing mental health problems, and vice versa", and that "nearly one in three people with a long-term physical health condition also has a mental health problem, most often depression or anxiety."

Anyone who has ever had any kind of physical ill health will know that it can dramatically undermine your mental wellbeing. Meanwhile mental health issues can have a profound knock on effect, whether it's making you feel less inclined to exercise and eat well, more inclined towards self medicating with substances like alcohol, or seemingly making you more susceptible to every cold that's going around.

The Faculty of Public Health's article on the 'relationship with physical health and healthy lifestyles' said:

"Mental health problems have increasingly been shown to precede, and be important in the recovery from, physical health problems. For example, the Whitehall Study showed that emotional health, especially negative affect – a general tendency to report ‘distress, discomfort, dissatisfaction, and feelings of hopelessness’ – predicts the onset of heart disease and recovery from infarcts independently of other risk factors."

The article also noted:

• 46% of people with a mental health problem have a long-term physical health problem
• Diagnosis of neurotic disorder (mental illness that falls short of psychosis) in general practice increases mortality over the next 11 years by 70%
• Mental illness also increases the risk of musculoskeletal problems like back pain amongst a range of other issues

Improving mental wellbeing can improve physical health

On a positive note, The Faculty of Public Health also highlighted multiple sources that show that by improving mental wellbeing, we can support physical health. For example:

"Positive mental well-being including positive affect (eg. positive mood, joy, happiness, vigor, energy) and positive trait-like dispositions (eg. life satisfaction, hopefulness, optimism, sense of humor) were significantly associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality in healthy populations, and with reduced death rates in patients with renal failure and with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection."

Positive affective traits were also linked to:

• Lower morbidity
• Decreased pain
• Improved survival rates

Equally, improving physical wellbeing can improve mental health. If we specifically take exercise as an example, a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) noted:

"Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.2 Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal."

It continued, highlighting that the further health benefits of regular exercise, which then have an impact on mental wellbeing, include:

• Improved sleep
• Increased interest in sex
• Better endurance
• Stress relief
• Improvement in mood
• Increased energy and stamina
• Reduced tiredness that can increase mental alertness
• Weight reduction
• Reduced cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness

Physical wellbeing factors that affect mental health

So if we know that mental and physical health are directly connected, what are the areas that we can look at to help mind and body work together for better overall wellbeing? Physical health is not just about exercise, and the more we learn, the more we realise what an interconnected ecosystem our minds and bodies are. Everything can have an impact from having a hug to what we eat, how much we sleep to how much fresh air we get, the quality of the light around us - and the list goes on.

Broadly speaking we can divide these into four core pillars - exercise, good nutrition, relaxation and sleep, and how we address those can be deeply personal. However, some interesting things to consider from a holistic sense:

Aromatherapy and mental health

We are strong advocates of aromatherapy used both in a spa context and at home for influencing mood whenever we need a boost, help relaxing, or a little extra energy. Look to the science however, and The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy for Depressive Symptoms: A Systematic Review from the NIH said:

"aromatherapy showed potential to be used as an effective therapeutic option for the relief of depressive symptoms in a wide variety of subjects."

The gut-brain connection

Much has been made in recent years of the importance of gut health for brain function. It turns out all those fermented foods supporting good bacteria in your body can have a positive impact on mental health and neurological function, while things like refined sugar have a negative impact.

Harvard Medical School wrote:

"Given how closely the gut and brain interact, it becomes easier to understand why you might feel nauseated before giving a presentation, or feel intestinal pain during times of stress. That doesn't mean, however, that functional gastrointestinal conditions are imagined or "all in your head." Psychology combines with physical factors to cause pain and other bowel symptoms. Psychosocial factors influence the actual physiology of the gut, as well as symptoms. In other words, stress (or depression or other psychological factors) can affect movement and contractions of the GI tract. In addition, many people with functional GI disorders perceive pain more acutely than other people do because their brains are more responsive to pain signals from the GI tract. Stress can make the existing pain seem even worse."

Massage and mental health

Massage is very much the cornerstone of the spa world. While many are happy to accept that it's simply an enjoyable experience, its benefits are actually wide reaching, ranging from reducing pain perception to easing fatigue and anxiety.

The Mayo Clinic wrote:

"Massage therapy offers benefits for a number of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and stress. Research also shows that massage can help people coping with seasonal affective disorder by improving mood and boosting energy levels."

They also highlighted its benefits for:

• Pain including chronic low back pain and neck pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis of the knee.
• Pain management for fibromyalgia.
• Massage therapy has been shown to help lower blood pressure and manage stress, both of which can promote heart health.

How can spa experiences help ease stress?

We know how powerful spa experiences can be, and we want you to enjoy the positive benefits that touch therapies, thermal spa facilities and simply taking time out can have on mind, body and soul.

From massage that influences the nervous system to aromatherapy that affects the parts of the brain associated with mood, and complementary therapies that help with everything from pain perception to stress, anxiety, tiredness and fatigue. This month, it's all about mind, body and spa.