What happens when you are angry – does your body feel tense?

When you are nervous – do you feel nauseous?

When you are in shock – does your blood pressure increase?

Yes, it might be a revelation that your mind and physical body have closer ties than you think and are not two completely independent systems. Just as how the rest of our organs work together to create a seamless harmony of functions, the mind and the body are connected as well.

Negative emotions like stress, shock, grief, and sadness can manifest physically in the following ways:

• High Blood Pressure
• Ulcers
• Weight gain/loss
• Insomnia
• Chest pain
• Palpitations

Why does this happen? When you are stressed, your brain and body is alerted to react in a way to warn you that something isn’t right. While a lot of these sensations are legitimate, sometimes your mind can even play tricks on you, causing you to feel ill – this is known as a psychosomatic disorder. And no matter what the case, it goes to show that your emotional health is as important as your physical health!

While not all health problems can be solved by just improving your state of mind, there is no doubt that medical treatments can be well-complemented by solid emotional health.

How can you improve your emotional health?

• Get to the root of the problem to try and understand why you are so emotionally affected.
• Express your feelings regularly and in healthy ways. Make sure to always let it out – whether it’s through a hobby, or listening to music, or talking to a loved one.
• Calm your mind. Regular meditation, yoga and breathing exercises having tremendous benefits for your mind.
• Take care of your routine: Eat regularly, sleep well, drink lots of water; while these are recommended for your physical health, they do wonders for your mental well being too!

Follow these, and what do you know – you might end up light-headed….with happiness!