Exercise, Diet and Sleep - The Three Pillars of Mental Health

It is the complex interplay of diet, exercise and sleep that is a cornerstone of better mental health well-being.

Exercise in daily life

Most of us are determined to stay healthy and fit. As a result, individuals start and end their day by engaging in various exercises such as aerobic exercise, resistant exercise etc., which they believe help derive unique energy. Along with improved physical health, exercise has proved to motivate individuals to stay mentally healthy.

Exercise such as a 15-minute walk helps individuals experience a wide range of emotions such as happiness, excitement, thoughtfulness etc. For instance, if you feel stressed about your workplace tasks, you may hope to relax by exercising at home or a gym and listening to music that would make your mood better. There is a consensus that exercise contributes to an enormous sense of well-being and is a powerful medicine to battle common mental health challenges.

Diet contributes to healthy mental well-being

Along with exercising, having a nutritious diet regularly also plays a vital role in maintaining a connection between the body and mind. Exercise and nutritious diet become an integral part of one’s daily life as it has powerful effects on our minds. A nutritious diet includes proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals which consumed in almost equal quantities will help individuals have improved overall energy level, increased brain function, fewer mood fluctuations or even boosts one’s mood and so on.

The vital role of sleep for mental well-being

Even when individuals relying on exercise and dieting feel healthy, experience a positive mood about themselves and their lives, research suggests our exercise and diet patterns impact the duration and quality of sleep.

Getting the right amount of good quality sleep is crucial for an individual’s mental well-being. Further studies throw light to the fact that it is not the sleep quantity but the sleep quality that is found to be the strongest mental health predictor for individuals to have sharper memories and feel refreshed and energetic.

What happens if one does not exercise, diet and sleep?

The absence of adequate exercise and sometimes not moving a muscle can be life-threatening. No exercising along with unbalanced intake of food nutrients and irregular sleep patterns increases the risk of death, diabetes, weight gain and also are prone to developing depression and anxiety.

If one of the three pillars of mental health is absent or not given proper attention to can, it interferes with the functions of the other two pillars thus, causing the person to experience unusual physical and emotional instabilities or difficulties.

Benefits of disciplined exercise, diet and sleep patterns

When leading a busy and hectic life, everyone is keen to prioritize that activity which provides more benefit. Unfortunately, it is impossible to say which one is more beneficial than the other, because all the three pillars of mental health are deeply intertwined. The benefits are as below:

Reduce developing the symptoms of disorders such as borderline personality, anxiety and depression
Decreased fatigue and improved athletic and cognitive performance
Reduces stress, anxiety, improves self-esteem and enhances one’s mood
Boost’s energy levels and encourages one to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Removes mental blocks that hinder mental and emotional processing and sharpens one’s memory capacity
Maintains an external and internal balance throughout the body i.e., strengthened muscles, good blood circulation, experience positive emotions, balanced mood hormones and so on.