Keeping Up With Your Mental Health Through Physical Health

Now before you jump to conclusions thinking I’m giving recommendations as a non-health professional, calm your tits. I’m not doing that. Mental health issues come in all shapes and forms. Some people can work on those issues through diet, some with exercise, some using medication, and others with therapy. We all go through mental challenges…right now more than ever. But since the election is a day away, I thought it would be a good time to mention that trendy word – self care. And I wanted to bring this up today because I’m seeing the anguish, the sadness, and the fear in people’s eyes right now. I’m hearing it on social media. I’m experiencing the attacks based off a person’s heightened anger. It’s a hard time, no matter who you are voting for.

If you’re feeling any of those feelings that I mentioned above, it’s time for self care. That may mean medication, going on a walk, getting out in nature, putting your phone away, or it may mean working out. For me, working out has been my saving grace for years. It’s gotten me through so much and helped me feel like my life was together when everything felt up in the air. Right now, everything feels up in the air. We don’t know what tomorrow will look like because of the election and we don’t know what the next few years will look like because of Covid. And that’s overwhelming. But all we can do is simply what we can do. We can care for ourselves, we can learn to deal with the stress at hand, and we can continue to move forward instead of being frozen in time.

When you work out, you release chemicals in your brain such as dopamine and endorphins to help you feel good, even when you weren’t feeling that way before your workout. And get this, it also helps get rid of the chemicals that cause you stress and anxiety. Mix these two together and what do you have? A much better day. Exercise isn’t just about building muscle or losing fat or fitting into your stupid uncomfortable skinny jeans – it’s about creating healthy brain chemistry so you can rationally process your surroundings and work through the problems at hand. But most of all, for me at least, it’s the 1 hour I don’t look at my phone or scroll through instagram. It’s the 1 hour I am able to think through my thoughts without any outside forces.

No matter what happens tomorrow, no matter what side you are on, remember to take care of your mental health by taking care of your physical health. And when that’s not enough, don’t forget to reach out for professional help. I saw a therapist this year and I have grown so much from it. Our mental health is just as important as our physical, especially during trying, stressful times. But if you put in the work now, you’ll be even more prepared for another stressful time in the future. You only get one brain, don’t ignore it!