March 19, 2024
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Fitness Mental Health

What the Research Actually Says About the Mind-Body Connection

Mental health is becoming a hot topic in the fitness community. While there is truth to the mind-body connection, there is also a lot of misinterpretation. Peace, love, and happiness won’t solve all your physical problems, but can they help?  We dove into the evidence behind the connection, and here’s what we found.

What is the Mind-Body Connection?

The mind-body connection is the idea that a person’s thoughts, feelings, and mental state can impact physical health and functionality.

There is a lot of controversy over the validity of the mind-body connection. This is primarily due to its associations with new-age spirituality. Some of the claims made by some practitioners can be a bit far-fetched, but the foundation of these claims is based on science.

The relationship between the body and mind is something that the scientific community is continually exploring.  However, it has recently garnered some evidentiary support to complement decades of anecdotal testimonies.

scientific support of the mind-body connection

Stress, depression, and anxiety are all negative facets of mental health. The National Institute of Mental Health published an article regarding stress that noted three things:

  1. Stress affects everyone in different capacities.
  2.  Long-term stress is harmful to physical and mental health.
  3. There are ways to manage and reduce stress, including, but not limited to, mindfulness and meditation.

A study published by the Experimental and Clinical Science Journal lists the traumatic effects of stress on the body. They are as follows.

Stress can cause Brain Function Complications

The hypothesis that stress can cause functional changes to the central nervous system was accepted in 1968 following studies that examined the effects of cortisol – a stress hormone – on glucocorticosteroid receptors. In addition, some studies have shown that stress can cause structural changes in different parts of the brain. Chronic stress can even lead to the atrophy of brain mass and decreased brain weight.

Stress can cause memory complications

Memory relies heavily on an area of the brain called the hippocampus. The hippocampus has the most concentrated density of receptors, thus it has the highest level of response to stress. High concentrations of stress hormones can cause declarative memory disorders. Animal studies have shown that stress can cause irreversible spatial memory reductions due to degradation in the hippocampus.

Stress can cause cognition and learning deficits

Cognition is the reception and perception of perceived stimuli and their interpretation. In layman’s terms, it includes learning, decision-making, attention, and judgment. Similar to memory, cognition is formed mainly in the hippocampus. Exposure to stress can cause psychological changes that manifest as behavioral, cognitive, and mood disorders.

Stress can irritate and harm immune system functions

Stress can affect the immune system by influencing central nervous and neuroendocrine processes. A plethora of studies over the last several decades has shown that stress mediators can pass through the blood-brain barrier and exert their effects on the immune system. Moreover, severe stress can lead to malignancy by suppressing the immune system.

Stress can compromise cardiovascular function

The relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease is well-established. It’s now known that stress has a deteriorating effect on cardiovascular function. This occurs because stress causes your autonomic nervous system to activate. This, in turn, raises the heart rate, narrows the veins,  strengthens the contraction of the arteries in the spleen and kidneys, and decreases sodium excretion. All of which indirectly impact cardiovascular activity.

Stress causes gastrointestinal complications

The presence of stress can impact appetite due to hormone receptors in the body and adversely affects GI tract function. Absorption, intestinal permeability, mucus, stomach acid secretion, and inflammation levels change due to existing stress.

Stress can harm the endocrine system

Stress either activates or inhibits endocrine processes associated with the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands. As well as the thyroid, gonads, and pancreas. The improper release of hormones and the stimulation of stress hormones impact every body system, including the reproductive system.

What is mindfulness?

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, mindfulness is the quality or state of being consciously aware of something. Its second definition lists it as a therapeutic technique. Understanding what it is and how it works is vital, as mindfulness is essential for stress reduction.

Mindfulness and stress reduction

Mindfulness practice includes meditation, self-observation, relaxation techniques, goal setting, and therapy. Harvard Health Publishing posted an article backed by several studies that listed relaxation techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, and goal setting as stress reduction methods.

Thus by practicing mindfulness through various methods, we can reduce the physical manifestations of stress, depression, and anxiety.

Putting mindfulness into practice

Putting mindfulness into practice is vital to improving mental health and nurturing the mind-body connection. Several methods can be implemented into your daily routine to achieve this goal.

Meditation

Meditation has increased calmness, induced physical relaxation, improved psychological states, cope with mental anguish, and enhanced wellness since ancient times. It is rooted in self-observation. In reaction to every situation, you consciously choose what to think and feel. No matter what happens, there are many angles to view it from. The process of meditation is about being present with your thoughts and feelings. It involves acknowledging and letting go of difficult or troubling situations in your life.

mindful nutrition

Nutrition impacts not only how we feel physically but how we feel about ourselves. Particularly, foods containing sugar or caffeine, that are processed, and that are high in saturated fats can cause a chemical release that negatively impacts mood and increases stress. Mindful nutrition is about looking at food as fuel rather than a coping mechanism. You can refer to these nutrition basics to get started with proper eating habits.

Mindful exercise

Exercise wonders for mental health, especially when focusing on self-improvement rather than self-degradation. It can improve memory, sharpen focus, enhance mood, and reduce the effects of aging. If you want to learn more, we talk in-depth about the benefits of exercise in the brain in this article.

journaling

There are many different types of journaling, each of which has benefits for mental health. Gratitude journaling is a way to change your outlook on negative situations happening in your life by reframing your mindset. Whereas shadow journaling provides prompts that offer a deeper look into your behaviors, actions, thoughts, and needs. Both types of journaling aid in reducing stress, sharpening focus, and improving yourself from the inside out.

Therapy

Therapy is an important step in recovering from underlying trauma. It provides an external perspective from a trusted confidant who allows you to be vulnerable and human. This is probably the best place to start, regardless of what you’ve experienced in life, as it gives you a detailed glimpse into your brain and self. A therapist can help you utilize all other mindfulness tools discussed above.

Author’s note

It should be noted that there are additional hurdles for our neurodivergent friends battling chemical imbalances that make it more difficult to navigate trauma and stress. We see you and acknowledge your struggle. Utilizing these tools can still help improve the mind-body connection, but if you are at an impasse, give yourself grace and seek help.

author
She/Her | Charley is a mother by day, a writer by night, and a wellness enthusiast in between. As a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach, she is passionate about creating a safe and inclusive space for people of all fitness levels. Ambitious about learning to incorporate total body wellness, Charley is in the process of earning additional certifications as a Human Movement Specialist and Yoga Instructor.