For thousands of years, people have been fascinated with how the mind and body are connected. From ancient practices like yoga and qi gong to philosophers like Plato and Aristotle proposing different mind-body relationships, humans have intuitively understood that the two were connected.More recently, Freud postulated that unconscious feelings manifest in physical symptoms.
So, what is the mind-body connection, exactly, and how does it affect mental health?
Let’s dive right in and explore that very topic! A strong mind-body connection can help people struggling with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health disorders – and it’s something we can each work on cultivating. Let’s review practical tips for strengthening our mind-body connection as a road to happier, healthier lives.
What is the mind-body connection?
The mind-body connection is the two-way relationship between our minds and bodies in which strong emotions cause physical reactions. If those reactions are sustained for long, they may affect our emotions, thoughts, and overall demeanor.
Before psychology and neurology became prominent fields of study in which advances were frequently made, the idea that the mind and body were connected was just a guess. However, a large body of research provides evidence for what many who studied human behavior always guessed: the mind and the body are intricately connected.
How the body responds to stress
Imagine you’re out running and spot a bear. Before your brain has consciously registered a threat, your body’s sympathetic nervous system has been activated into “fight-or-flight” mode. As soon as your eyes spot a bear, the information is conveyed to a section of the brain called the amygdala, which regulates emotions like fear and anger.
The amygdala lights up and signals the hypothalamus that you’re under attack. The hypothalamus regulates the activation of that “fight-or-flight” mode. It ultimately regulates the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, raising your heart rate, sharpening your senses, and enabling your body to take in as much oxygen as possible.
Acute stress vs. chronic stress
This is an example of an acute stress response – you see the bear, you panic, and seek refuge until the bear loses interest. The event ends, and your body can return to its baseline. When the body cannot return to baseline but stays chronically stressed, there’s usually a disconnect between the brain and the body. This may occur if a person has been repeatedly exposed to stressful events, like childhood neglect, or if they experience trauma so large they experience flashbacks, nightmares, and mental health issues that essentially keep them — and their bodies — from being present in the moment.
This works both ways. Research shows that when we exercise or meditate regularly, our mental health is more likely to stabilize – even improve, thanks to the brain releasing chemicals that contribute to improved mood. We may also experience a growing sense of self-efficacy as we show up for ourselves by forming healthy habits.
How tending to the mind-body connection supports mental health and physical wellbeing
As we enter our teenage years, we tend to live life from the neck up. Play and physical activity become less intuitive as we spend more time at a desk, whether it’s in a classroom or an office.
However, suppose we can build a strong relationship with our bodies. In that case, we can reduce our stress levels, sleep better, cultivate more self-awareness, improve physical health, and enjoy greater overall well-being.
6 tips to cultivate a stronger mind-body connection
When considering how to cultivate the connection between the mind and body, any activity that takes us out of our heads, into our bodies, and into the present moment can strengthen our ability to inhabit our bodies more fully. These activities can include things like dancing, taking a walk, playing pickleball – don’t be afaid to think outside the box! Here are our six favorite ways to strengthen the mind-body connection.
1. Physical movement
Any form of physical movement, such as dancing, stretching, going to a yoga class, or simply moving your body in a way that feels good to you, is a great way to release endorphins and reduce stress hormone levels.
Physical movement has been shown to have positive effects on individuals who struggle with anxiety and depression.
Additionally, physical movement can have the power to bring you into the present moment. Whether your heart is pounding or you’re trying to figure out how to do a yoga pose, physical movement can give you the benefit of focusing on the only moment we really have: the one happening right now.
2. Somatic therapy
Somatic therapy isn’t as mainstream as some of the other methods we’re touching on here, but it’s a powerful way to use the body to affect the mind nonetheless. Somatic therapy posits that the body is a place where we store emotional experiences. That doesn’t necessarily mean that every muscle ache is an emotion that needs to be expressed. Still, somatic therapy rests on the idea that emotional experiences we don’t address may manifest in illness or bodily pain.
When working with a somatic therapist or attending a movement class that incorporates somatic techniques, you may encounter techniques like:
- awareness of the body
- pendulation, which involves oscillating between an emotionally difficult and emotionally calm state in a controlled manner
- resourcing, which helps you draw on a time of joy or peace in your life to feel more safe, stable and calm
Other somatic techniques may include breathwork and dance. All intend to use the body as the starting point for healing. Because somatic therapy is not mainstream, experienced somatic therapists can be hard to find. We recommend using somatic techniques as a complement to other therapeutic modalities.
3. Mindful awareness
Mindful awareness, or mindfulness, is one of the core ways to cultivate the mind-body connection. It can be practiced throughout your daily life by eating more slowly, taking mindful walks, practicing guided meditations, or even doing the dishes while aiming to be fully present in the moment.
The goal of mindfulness is to be fully present with what is, including bodily sensations, emotions, and thoughts, without attaching any judgment to them. By being fully present with the activities of our everyday life, which we so often do on autopilot, we can strengthen the connection between our mind and body.
Here’s something for practice: The next time you cook or do the dishes, bring awareness to your hands and let them rest there, gently bringing your attention back when it wanders.
4. Intentional relaxation
As self-care has risen in popularity, it’s become associated with bubble baths or a glass of wine – largely misleading ideas about what it really means to care for ourselves. More broadly, there’s wisdom in the idea that we need time to relax our bodies, set healthy boundaries and realistic expectations.
Many of us are constantly moving on to the next thing. While often healthy for the mind-body connection, at times physical activity is something to check off our to-do list. Think ‘everything in moderation.’ Intentional relaxation is about giving our bodies the rest they need.
By physically resting our bodies, we can cultivate a sense of safety and allow our bodies to truly relax. Ways to do this include things like laying in the sun, getting a massage, taking a nap, or attending a restorative yoga class (or watching a video on YouTube). Intentional relaxing doesn’t need to cost us anything; it can simply be an afternoon nap or choosing to do nothing when you feel like you should be doing something.
5. Breathwork
Cultivating a relationship with our breath is another powerful tool for helping us calm down our bodies and our minds. Breathing exercises can be used to energize or relax the body and energize or relax the mind, depending on the aim. Research shows that controlled breathing can improve concentration, help with emotional regulation skills, and even improve stamina.
Some techniques may include belly breathing, focusing on breathing with extended exhales, or trying box breathing. An easy trick to remember is that a deep inhale increases adrenaline, exciting the body, while an exhale longer than your inhale calms the body down.
6. Progressive muscle relaxation and body scanning
These are two whole-body awareness techniques to help your body fully relax. Progressive muscle relaxation is something you can practice at any time. It involves tensing and then fully releasing every muscle group in the body. You may want to try working from toe to head, addressing one muscle area at a time. Progressive muscle relaxation can help you learn how it feels to relax your body and identify tension as it arises.
Body scanning is also a practice you can do anytime, anywhere, although it’s popular for bedtime. It involves bringing awareness to each part of your body, taking note of the body’s feedback to you. Listening to a guided body scan on YouTube or a meditation app that walks you through each body part may be helpful.
As you practice attuning to the body’s physical sensations through these techniques, you may notice that a greater connection with yourself and more emotional awareness grows within you.
Improve Your Mental Health with a Strong Mind-Body Connection
These simple acts strengthen how the body influences the mind and how the mind positively influences the body. These practices also empower us with awareness of our mind-body connection. Simple awareness can help us prevent negative thoughts from affecting how we feel in the body and can lead us to move our bodies to improve our mood.
If you live with a mood disorder or simply want some help navigating the complexities of life, forming a positive relationship with a licensed mental health professional can help you form a stronger mind-body connection and be a major asset in your journey to better mental health. At Inspire Behavioral Health, we offer one-on-one counseling, medication management and support groups to empower you to live a life you love. Contact us today to learn more about our therapeutic offerings.
