How to strengthen your mind-body connection for better health
You’ve probably heard of the mind-body connection. It’s often referred to as the mind-body ‘problem’, perhaps because so many theories have been put forward to try to explain the relationship!
Scientists’ understanding of the mind-body connection is developing all the time – but we only have to look at our own lives to see how thoughts and feelings can have a direct impact on how our bodies function.
You’ve probably experienced the familiar ‘adrenaline rush’ that happens when we’re stressed. Research shows the real physiological impact of stress: your heart rate goes up and you start to sweat.
Or you may have experienced symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome when you feel stressed or anxious. This is down to miscommunication between the brain and the gut.
What’s happening in our physical body is very often a reflection of what’s going for us mentally and emotionally.
Becoming more tuned in to what’s happening in our bodies can bring awareness that helps us make positive changes in our lives.
Listening to your body
Maybe you’ve been told at some stage in your life to ‘listen to your body’. But what does that really mean?
I used to be a runner. I loved the release it gave me and the satisfaction from going further each time. I’m proud of having run two half-marathons.
However, I know I often ignored twinges in my body in my drive to keep running.
Running made me feel good and I was on a mission to lose weight, so I was reluctant to stop.
I’m pretty sure that’s why I needed an operation to repair my pelvic floor some years later.
I definitely heard my body but I didn’t listen to the message it was giving me to change.
For many reasons I wasn’t giving myself permission to stop running. I was ignoring the physical symptoms and the emotions related to it.
I understand this better now with hindsight.
These days I try not to ignore my body’s messages. It’s easy for ill-health to creep up on us.
[Please note: I appreciate if you have a chronic illness such as ME or an autoimmune disease, the advice to listen to your body is more complex and is outside the scope of this blog post].
5 ways to listen more closely
Slow down - make time to check in with yourself regularly. Asking yourself “how are you?” at the start of the day can help you tune in to what you need in that moment. If you look in the mirror you might see the emotion you’re struggling with. For me, that’s often the first indication that I’m feeling grief.
Pay attention to where you hold tension in your body when you feel stressed – is your jaw tight, your shoulders? Maybe you’re holding your breath without realising it.
Practice sitting still and breathing - meditation and yoga are really accessible ways to do this.
Journalling can help us make room for our thoughts and feelings. We may spot trends in how we respond to situations.
Make self-care a ritual – whatever you feel nourishes you, schedule time for it regularly.
Benefits of a stronger mind-body connection
Feeling more resilient when deep feelings come up – noticing emotions and allowing yourself to feel uncomfortable can help release them.
Being more resilient leads to a stronger immune system.
Physical symptoms are less likely to become chronic – awareness of pain or imbalance can be a prompt for us to make changes or seek support.
It can help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
Listening to ourselves is an ongoing practice and in today’s busy world it can be easily overlooked.
The mind-body connection is at the heart of homeopathy and how I work.
Whatever is going on for you physically, mentally and emotionally is interconnected. Homeopathy can support you in making sense of this to improve your health.
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