By Rabia Khan

Human beings have a unique and complex system. Both mind and body and soul are interconnected. When one part goes downhill, everything else goes downhill too. What happens to the mind deeply affects your physical health in different ways. Though, men and women both seem to take on the toll differently. There is a strong connection between physical health and mental health that many are not aware of.

How mental health affects your physical health

As we share an intense connection between our mind and the body, it also tends to affect us by the way we feel.

Poor sleep: Too much stress can hamper quality of life and take away all the peace! Your sleep is precious as it prepares you to fully function and wake up for a new day! If you skip a good sleep, it will most likely affect your physical health leading to fatigue, chills, headache, fever, etc.

High blood pressure: Another proof of mental stress manifesting into physical stress unfolds when you experience your blood pressure bursting into flames and suddenly turns high. If the symptoms worsen overtime, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Stroke: Most often the connection of mental health and physical health is so strong that certain mental health disorders can cause havoc to the body. Too much stress can cause a heart or a brain stroke. That is why most health practitioners consider mindfulness and meditation good for the mind, body and soul.

Premature aging: Nobody talks about the fact that increase of stress can lead to premature aging. Your hair would eventually start falling while you’re young, nails will turn brittle and skin will sag and start showing wrinkles. Internal stress easily wears off on your skin making it look old. It’s important to keep yourself hydrated at all times!

Reproductive health: Many women face tremendous physical issues when they are stressed. One is the reproductive system, taking too much on yourself can lead to major health issues like PCOS, fibrosis, menstruation problems, etc.

Digestive system: Remember keeping a calm mind leads to a calm internal system, when your mind is thinking too many intrusive thoughts, that alerts your digestive system and causes a weaker immunity functioning. Your physical health is most likely to get affected severely, inviting issues like diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, indigestion, constipation, etc. It’s a known fact that mental health disorders lead to poor eating habits.

Here are some ways you can maintain mental and physical health:

Meditate: In order to keep your physical health in best shape, your mind needs positive fuel. You can only achieve this by meditating and practicing mindfulness daily.

Eat healthy: Eating healthy food contributes to a healthy mind and body, always be mindful of what you are eating! Remember, you are what you eat!