Health

Discover 8 Things You Didn’t Know About the Mind-Body Connection Today

By Mia Barnes |Posted: July 30, 2020

Scientists learn more about the mind-body connection every day, but the idea that your thoughts can influence your health is nothing new. The principle forms a core of many Asian healing practices, and Western medicine has begun integrating techniques like acupuncture and biofeedback into the mainstream. The most comforting part about how your thoughts and emotions influence your health is that it gives you a sense of control. By making wiser choices, you can improve your outcomes. Here are eight things you didn’t know about the mind-body connection — but should.

1. Yoga Works Like a Charm

If you have chronic pain, get thee to the yoga mat. One study of over 1,500 individuals evaluated the impact of the ancient practice on low back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, kyphosis, and fibromyalgia. Researchers discovered a clinically significant improvement in functional outcomes and decreased pain. Plus, there are no adverse side effects, unlike many medications.

If you never practiced yoga before, there are a ton of styles to explore.

2. Your Emotions Impact Your Hormones

Your emotions stem from the central nervous system’s arousal — the same system that tells your body when to release certain hormones. Have you ever known a couple who struggled to get pregnant? Sometimes, they give up in exasperation, go on vacation, and return home with a baby on board. That’s because stressful emotions can impact your hormonal profile.

Studies show that women with high levels of alpha-amylase, a stress marker, in their saliva took 29% longer to get pregnant. Your body knows times of high tension are the worst for procreation.

3. Your Hormones Also Influence Mood

The converse also holds — changes in your hormonal levels can affect your mood. You can see this phenomenon most markedly in females. Elevated levels of estrogen increase serotonin and endorphins, brain chemicals that impact mood and behavior. When estrogen levels plummet, such as in premenstrual syndrome, depression, and irritability strike.

4. Meditation Can Help Combat Pain

Multiple studies show that meditation can provide pain relief, as well as help you think more positive thoughts. When you sit in mindfulness meditation, you observe your self-talk neutrally, freeing it from the emotional charge that prompts maladaptive behaviors like substance abuse. You can then reframe these statements in a more positive light.

All you need to get started with meditation is a place to sit quietly. Draw your awareness to your breath and observe the inhalation and exhalation allowing your thoughts to drift in and out. Learning a breathing technique, like pranayama is easy and prepares you for a more effortless meditation experience. You can check out this top beginner’s guide to breathing exercises here.

One breathing meditation technique that is particularly helpful with pain management, as well as chronic stress, is SKY Breath Meditation (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga). Other benefits include a 33% increase in immune cell count, a 56% reduction in stress hormones, and a 21% increase in life satisfaction within 1 week of learning SKY.

5. Foods You Eat Give More Than Tummy Aches

You know that eating foods that disagree with you can cause an upset stomach. However, nutrient deficiencies can impact your brain function. People who don’t get enough magnesium are prone to depression and may run an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Likewise, a lack of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can magnify depression symptoms.

6. Physical Activity Can Increase Brain Size

As you get older, your brain shrinks, leading to memory problems and increased dementia risks. One randomized control trial of 120 older adults showed that aerobic exercise increased hippocampal volume by 2%. Your hippocampus is a part of your brain associated with memory and emotional responses. While it typically grows smaller with age, moving your body can reduce the shrinkage.

7. Self-Care Is Essential

You’ve heard it said that self-care isn’t selfish — the maxim is correct. According to essayist Tim Kreider, idleness is as indispensable to the brain as vitamin D is to the body. While it seems paradoxical, you need downtime to do your best work. That doesn’t mean you need to indulge in unhealthy habits, though. Taking a long bubble bath or going on a hike are positive ways to unwind.

8. You Need to Get Your Z’s

Your body produces proteins called cytokines to fight inflammation, and levels increase when you sleep and decrease with deprivation. If you don’t get enough rest, your immune system can suffer, and when you don’t feel well, it puts you in a dour mood. Plus, the lack of rest makes you more accident-prone.

Nurture Your Mind-Body Connection for Improved Health Outcomes

If you want to improve your health outcomes, for both physical health and mental health, it pays to learn about the connection between your mind and body. By taking better care of one, you can improve outcomes for the other. Beyond Breath, a free online live session with a meditation instructor can give further insight into the mind-body connection, as well as learn about SKY Breath Meditation.