What’s lifestyle got to do with mood?
Photo by Thought Catalog
We often only discuss the physical benefits of improving your dietary patterns, but did you know that nutrition can impact your mental health too? It's true! There is a strong connection between your gut environment and brain through what is scientifically known as the enteric nervous system. Because of the strong connection between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract, feeding your body with mood-boosting food may improve mental health and overall motivation to achieve health goals.
Stress
Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Not all stress is bad, though. A certain amount of stress is a normal part of daily life. In fact, stress on our bones and muscles contributes to strong bones and decreased risk of osteoporosis. Additionally, acute stress sharpens the body’s senses to increase our strength and stamina. However, long-term chronic stress can significantly affect the body's systems and their functions. It can lead to various mood issues, including increased anxiety, depression, and addiction, as well as worsening sleep. Additionally, stress can influence eating behaviors, leading to emotional eating, which further impacts lifestyle and mood. We discuss stress and inflammation more throughout a series of blogs here where we dive deep into how to improve both internal and external stressors to improve health and mood
Movement
Numerous studies have found exercise plays a powerful role in mood management. When we exercise, we trigger the release of serotonin and endorphins that help us feel good. It is so important to find an exercise routine that you enjoy, which is why we love the term, mindful movement. See our blog on mindful movement here, where we outline an entire week of examples of how to incorporate more mindfulness into your exercise routine.
Sleep
We spend about ⅓ of our lives sleeping so it is no surprise that sleep is a huge part of our lifestyle that affects mood (Aminoff et al 2011) Studies show that without sleep we experience more irritability, stress, anxiety, depression, and mental exhaustion (Vandekerckhove and Wang 2017). Quality sleep is crucial for good mental health, but sleep issues can worsen mental health conditions, and mental health problems can lead to poor sleep…another chicken or the egg type of situation. Brain activity fluctuates during sleep and each sleep stage plays a role in brain health. In fact, sleep disturbances not only restrict our daily well-being and social functioning, but may even be linked to mental health disorders like depression (Vandekerckhove and Wang 2017). So what can be done to improve your sleep?
Habits that may be holding you back from achieving better sleep:
Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work so you squeeze in an extra hour of work before bed, but instead of having restful sleep your mind races and you feel sluggish the next day
Drinking caffeine past 12 PM
Eating 1-2 hours before bedtime
Consuming alcohol before bedtime
Engaging in blue light activities for long periods of time before bed
Inconsistent sleep environment or sleep and wake cycle
Habits to consider adding to your sleep routine:
Maintaining a consistent bedtime routine and sleep and wake cycle (going to bed and waking up around the same time each day)
Start winding down without blue light 1-2 hours before bedtime
Keeping the bedroom cool (60-67 degrees F)
Stop eating ~3 hours before bed
Clear your mind...keep a bedside journal to jot down notes
Consider how pets, children, noises, your partner's snoring, street lights, etc. may be affecting your sleep.
Enjoy caffeine (if desired and appropriate) before 12 PM
These are habits to consider evaluating to improve sleep, overall your mood, and mental health through lifestyle.
Interested in learning more about how lifestyle affects mood?
We’d love to work with you! Schedule a complimentary Meet + Greet session. We look forward to finding individualized solutions to fit your needs.
Published: July 15th, 2024.
This blog post was written by Amanda Sikkema MS, RD, LD, CSCS, a dietitian at Katie Chapmon Nutrition. She works with clients virtually and is accepting new clients.
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Aminoff MJ, Boller F, Swaab DF. We spend about one-third of our life either sleeping or attempting to do so. Handb Clin Neurol. 2011;98:vii. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-52006-7.00047-2. PMID: 21056174.
Vandekerckhove M, Wang YL. Emotion, emotion regulation and sleep: An intimate relationship. AIMS Neurosci. 2017 Dec 1;5(1):1-17. doi: 10.3934/Neuroscience.2018.1.1. PMID: 32341948; PMCID: PMC7181893.
