The Link Between Mental and Physical Health

The link between mental and physical health is getting a lot of attention nowadays, with a growing body of research showing that the two are intricately connected.

While our thoughts, moods, and mental state may feel completely distinct from what we physically do, the reality is that all of it — mental and physical — stems from brain activity.

At Primecare Family Practice in Arlington, Texas, board-certified family practitioners Maryline Ongangi, APRN, FNP-C and Lewis Nyantika, APRN, FNP-C, offer mental health services in addition to primary and preventive care. That’s because we understand that the two can’t be arbitrarily separated, and that treating one set of problems can help in treating the other.

Here’s what our team wants you to know about how your mental and physical health are linked.

How physical health affects mental health

Nothing in how the body works is simple, and very few things happen in isolation. An example of the complex interaction between physical changes and mental health is the interaction of the female sex hormone, estrogen, and the mood-affecting neurotransmitter, dopamine.

Dopamine is sometimes called the “happiness hormone,” because it’s associated with motivation and reward, among many other functions. Estrogen downregulates dopamine transmission, which mimics the effects of certain antipsychotic medications and makes you feel more motivated and upbeat.

However, during the postpartum period, when estrogen levels drop dramatically, some individuals experience an increased vulnerability to psychosis since dopamine isn’t downregulated.

For people diagnosed with ADHD, this means their symptoms may become even worse. For those with bipolar disorder or other conditions that involve psychosis, they may see an improvement in their mental symptoms.

Another example involves estrogen and serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter intimately involved in mood regulation. In some women, the drop in estrogen at the end of their menstrual cycle leads to a drop in serotonin levels in the brain, contributing to emotional instability and a depressed mood.

But reproductive hormones aren’t the only ones linked to mental health. Metabolic hormones — insulin (regulates blood sugar), cortisol (increases stress responses), and leptin (a hunger hormone), as examples —have been found to impact a wide range of mental illnesses, from ADHD to schizophrenia to eating disorders.

Research shows the interaction between the physical and mental is a two-way street. Metabolic problems, including diabetes, hypertension, or even prolonged periods of poor nutrition, can cause stress-induced changes in the brain that result in mood and neurodevelopmental disorders.

On the flip side, certain mental health disorders cause stress that triggers metabolic changes that, over time, can develop into these physical, metabolic diseases.

How mental health affects physical health

Several studies have found that having a mental illness may accelerate biological aging, increasing the risk for cardiovascular and other age-related diseases. Schizophrenia, a severe mental health condition, has been associated with up to 10-20 years shorter life expectancy.

NOTE: There’s a great deal of nuance to those findings, so being diagnosed with a mental health condition doesn’t necessarily mean a shorter life expectancy. These studies are usually based on epigenetic clocks, an algorithm to predict biological age based on DNA methylation.

It’s more useful to think of the epigenetic clock as a risk factor or predictor, not a guarantee of the predicted outcome.

What the research shows is that mental illnesses may be linked to premature aging in a number of different ways:

They may lead to unhealthy behaviors such as poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and substance use, all of which can harm your physical health.

Many mental health conditions and the stress they cause disrupt restful sleep; lack of sufficient sleep can harm physical health over time.

Stress may lead to chronically elevated levels of cortisol, disrupting just about every bodily function, including the digestive system, immune system, cardiovascular system, and even reproductive system.

For people with mental illness, these factors put them at risk for a range of medical conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and some forms of cancer.

Managing mental and physical health

The body and brain are both extremely responsive to change, and the benefits of regular exercise are impactful. It improves muscle mass and metabolic function, reduces inflammation, strengthens the immune system, improves cardiovascular and respiratory health, and contributes to better gut microbiome diversity.

Aside from interconnectedness, exercise also has direct benefits for the brain. These include improved cognitive function; improved executive function; reduced depression and anxiety symptoms; and reduced stress.

It may take some time before you notice a difference, but exercise also has some useful immediate benefits, including an elevated mood, improved energy levels, and mild pain relief. 

A healthy diet and good quality sleep also play a role in improved mental health.

To learn more, or to get started with a treatment plan, call Primecare Family Practice at 817-873-3710, or book online with us today.