Healthy Habits
A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.
Spanish proverb
The strong relationship between physical and mental health is well established. Efforts to improve physical health have been shown to reduce anxiety and improve symptoms of depression according to this article from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Sometimes, the problem is not knowing what we need. Sometimes, the problem is our motivation. Frederick Health notes that “[m]ental and physical health rely heavily on each other. Our minds and bodies are connected. If you have problems with one, you’re likely to have problems with the other.” Following are some facts and acts to help us get our physical health on track and our mental health, in turn.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, there are people who can help you. Please call or text 988 or click this button to go to 988lifeline.org where you can find more information and even chat with someone 24 hours a day.

SLEEP
Every expert source we reviewed made the same recommendation for nightly sleep for adults: at least 7 hours! Why is sleep important?
Good Sleep Benefits | Poor Sleep Effects |
Immune system boost | Forgetfulness and poor concentration |
Improved mood and emotional processing | Loss of motivation |
Decreased stress | Moodiness |
Increased productivity | Long-term health conditions including: high blood pressure, lowered immunity, obesity, diabetes, heart problems, and depression |
If you need to sleep more, try making simple changes like turning off electronic devices later in the evening, going to sleep 15 minutes earlier than usual, and doing something relaxing.
Additional Resources
- Sleep Tips: 6 Steps to Better Sleep by Mayo Clinic
- How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep by Tara Parker-Pope for The New York Times
- 7 Sleep Habits of Highly Successful People by Power of Positivity

EAT
The evidence between the food-mood connection is so strong, that there is actually a brand-new field of study devoted to it – Nutritional Psychiatry. The presence or absence of certain nutrients have been found to affect irritability, depression, suicide, and overall emotional well-being.
Recommended Foods | Foods to Avoid |
Essential Fatty Acids Whole Grains Antioxidant Rich Fermented Foods | High Sugar High Fat Alcohol |
Regardless of what the food is, it is important to take two things into consideration. First, pay attention to how you feel after you eat certain foods. A food may have little to no recognizable impact on one person, and it may leave another feeling tired or with some body discomfort. Second, talk with a medical professional with training in nutrition and who understands your individual situation and needs.
Additional Resources
- Does What You Eat Affect Your Mood? (2021, 21 Jan) by Cleveland Clinic
- 9 Ways Healthy Eating Affects Physical, Mental and Social Health (2022, 20 May) by Sarah Pflugradt, MS, RDN, CSCS for Livestrong
- 8 Steps to Mindful Eating (2016, 16 Jan) by Harvard Health

MOVE
Far too often and for far too long, the conversation around physical activity has been linked to high intensity exercise and measurements around the waist and on scale. While vigorous activity is important, and numbers can provide helpful information, physical activity for well-being means so much more.
Quality exercise can be walking, stretching, lifting weights, dancing, and more! It can also be a few minutes here and there throughout the day, and not necessarily a trip to the gym for an hour.
When it comes to results, well that’s the great news – exercise benefits the body in ways that we can’t readily measure. Initially, we may not even be aware of any changes, but the effects will be noticeable, and our mental health will be one of the most noticeable areas of positive impact.
Additional Resources
- 6 Science-Backed Ways Exercise Benefits The Body And Brain (2017, 23 May) by Alice G. Walton for Forbes
- Easy Ways to Make Exercise a Habit (2021, 23 Apr) by Susan Bernstein for WebMD
- 13 Benefits of Exercise (2021, 1 Dec) by Cleveland Clinic
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