Healthy Mind Healthy Body A Healthy lifestyle Hypnotherapy

Our minds and body are powerful allies that are constantly communicating with each other. How we think can affect how we feel, and how we feel can affect our thinking. As the saying goes, a healthy body is a healthy mind’. The two elements are continuingly to communicate and can affect each other positively or negatively as a result.

Our minds are a lot more powerful than we realise and they have a great influence over our bodies. When we are physically exhausted and have zero strength left, we have about 40% capacity left in us. It’s your mind telling you that you’re tired, preventing you from achieving your full potential. This shows just how powerful the mind can be when influencing the body and therefore how important it is for us to realise their connection and use this positive

Having a healthy body leads to a healthy mind and vice versa. Your body is affected by what the mind tells it. Our bodies are constantly receiving messages and signals from our minds that provoke physical reactions. An example of this mind-body connection is how your body responds to stress. Constant worry and stress over jobs, finances or other problems can cause tense muscles, pain, headaches and stomach problems. It may also lead to high blood pressure or other more serious problems.

On the flip side, the state of our bodies can also impact our minds. Being ill, even temporarily, can affect your mental state too. Any kind of viral infection, flu or bug can have negative impacts on our mental state, frequently causing mood changes such as depressive behaviour, lethargy, sleepiness, and a general feeling of melancholy. Constant pain or an ongoing health problem can affect your emotions. You might become depressed, anxious, and stressed, which could affect how well you treat, manage, or cope with your illness.

As well as its ability to negatively impact our physical well-being, our minds can have a positive effect on our health, too. Having a positive mindset and outlook on life can help you handle pain or stress better and help you stay healthier than someone who is less hopeful and positive.

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or carer looking to improve your mental and physical health or that of your child, it’s important to start from a place of self-awareness. Realising that our minds and our bodies are intimately connected and that they can influence each other is the first step towards having a healthier life, both physically and mentally.

How can I look after my physical health?

We appreciate that finding time to look after your physical well-being isn’t always easy when you’re juggling a job, children, and the general stresses and commitments of adult life. Creating a good life balance and daily routine can be crucial to both your physical and mental well-being. We recommend that you try to fit these five elements into your daily routine for a happier, healthier lifestyle, which will impact your mental well-being.

1. Drink more water. I know, I know, we’ve heard it all before but remember, your brain is 80% water. Scientists suggest we should all drink the equivalent of half our body weight in water every day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you should drink about 2 litres of water each day. And while so many of us are at home, the loo is on hand! By the time we all return to normal your body and your bladder will have settled into their new routine.

2. Sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours per night, and remember that quality is better than quantity. Fragmented sleep as opposed to restorative sleep can cause a lowered metabolism and increased levels of the hormone cortisol.

3. Practice gratitude. Being thankful for the little things. Studies have shown that people who practise gratitude tend to be happier and less depressed. Gratitude can boost the neurotransmitter serotonin and activate the brain stem to produce dopamine, two of your happy chemicals.

4. Eat a healthy breakfast and keep your blood sugar balanced. Eating a healthy breakfast can jump-start your brain and help boost your productivity and focus throughout the day.

5. Maintain a healthy weight. Studies show that as your weight goes up, the size and function of your brain go down.

6. Eliminate toxins. Eliminating toxins from the body improves brain function. Try to avoid processed foods. Reduce alcohol. Stop smoking. Eat more antioxidant and super-nutrient food to protect your brain from free radicals.

7. Practice stress/anxiety management techniques, like self-hypnosis, deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness. There are plenty of online brain games designed to boost emotional control and stress resilience also. Head over to my website at www.gailmarrahypnotherapy.com and download your free audio “The one-minute breath” and you can go from stress to calm in 60 seconds.

8. Read. Reading nourishes the mind. Reading is brain food. When you are absorbed in a good book you are in a trance-like state aka hypnosis. In this state you release endorphins and all the cares in the world fade away, at least while you read. It doesn’t matter if you read fiction or non-fiction, sci-fi or romance, comedy or history, psychology or travel. Ready to transport yourself to an alternative realm, wherever that may be?