Nutrition, Fitness, & Mental Illness
Work-related stress is one of the top 3 reasons for declining mental health and general dissatisfaction with life among business professionals. Adequate nutrition and fitness can provide massive benefits for someone's mental health and may even reduce urges to use drugs or alcohol. Especially among business professionals, healthy exercise and eating habits are often overlooked, although there are many ways to improve these behaviors in incremental, but still helpful, ways.
Benefits of Fitness in Reducing Stress And Mental Health Condition
The last thing most people want to do when they get home from work is to go to the gym, but prioritizing physical fitness each day can be the determining factor in overall life satisfaction, overall physical and mental health, and overall job performance. Adequate nutrition and healthy eating habits can also go a long way toward improving mood, energy levels, and reducing susceptibility to stress.
Besides stress management and learning organizational skills, one of the most positively impactful ways of coping with workplace stress and related mental health conditions is physical fitness. Physical fitness is an important preventative measure for young people just starting their careers. Adding just 30 minutes of physical activity each day has been shown to:
Elevate Mood
Reduce the risk of stress-related illnesses such as heart and lung disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity as well as help treat these illnesses
Improve Self-Esteem
Reduce Anxiety and Depression Caused by Workplace Stress
Increase Focus, Memory, Productivity, and Mental Alertness
Improve Sleep
Decreased Desire For Substance and Alcohol Abuse
These benefits of physical fitness have all been proven to positively affect and improve workplace and at-home relationships which also contributes to an overall sense of satisfaction of life for working professionals. Consistent physical fitness each day is linked to improvements in mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD.
Companies and individuals spend nearly 50% more on healthcare for people reporting high levels of stress due to their job. The United States as a whole could save anywhere between $37.6 billion and $67.8 billion a year on medical and behavioral expenses for workplace professionals if physical fitness was implemented into the daily lives of these individuals.
Fitness, Depression, and Anxiety
There are several neurotransmitters in the brain that people with depression and anxiety are commonly deficient in, and several studies have shown how physical fitness can promote and regulate them.
Endorphins in the brain are related to increased positive moods and an increase in a person’s overall sense of wellbeing. Some studies indicate that exercise increases the release of endorphins.
Serotonin is released during exercise and is critical in treating most depression and anxiety disorders, as it helps elevate and regulate mood among other things.
Dopamine, also known as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, is also released during physical exercise. Dopamine levels in individuals with depression are low, so the increased release from exercise is influential in boosting mood.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is another neurotransmitter increased through exercise that is active in mood and emotional regulation, stress reduction, and an ability to think clearly.
Fitness and Substance Abuse
The positive impact of exercise on substance abuse is linked to the fact that regular exercise can help decrease the urge for drugs and alcohol by reinforcing the brain’s natural ability to produce and regulate certain neurotransmitters. A lack of balance among these neurotransmitters can increase susceptibility to substance abuse, especially in people with co-occurring mental health conditions. In people who struggle with substance abuse, exercise can:
Increase feelings of wellbeing, reducing the urge to use or abuse substances.
Positively reinforces the brain through the production of feel-good neurotransmitters such as dopamine and GABA.
Decrease the positive reinforcement produced through drug use by improving baseline mood.
Reduce stress and promote better sleep
Improve mood and increase energy
Of the people struggling with substance abuse who incorporated regular exercise into their recovery, researchers saw an increase in drug and alcohol abstinence of 95%.
Fitness & Nutrition Benefits of Balanced Nutrition on Mental Health
Studies currently show that individuals in the United States who struggle with high levels of stress and other mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, may be deficient in key neurotransmitters that our bodies and brains need. There are dietary measures that can be taken to increase the levels of many of these neurotransmitters, by increasing the intake of the “raw materials” that these neurotransmitters are made from. Implementing the recommended vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids can greatly improve symptoms of stress. Healthy eating can also be a key preventative measure for young working professionals to decrease their risk of workplace stress leading to mental and physical health conditions.
Just a few areas that diet can affect include:
Energy Level
Motivation and Productivity
Stress and Anxiety
Depression and Associated Symptoms
Focus
Mood
Interestingly, the GI tract influences the production of certain neurotransmitters. Consumption of healthy, nutrient-rich foods helps the “good” bacteria in the GI tract grow which directly influences the production of positive neurotransmitters. Those neurotransmitters are influenced by proteins and other essential fatty acids, and there is a link between carbohydrates consumed and insulin levels which also affect neurotransmitter release within the brain. A more balanced diet can regulate and balance the neurotransmitters within the brain that improve anxiety, depression, and ultimately substance abuse.
Implementing A Healthy Diet
Busy lifestyles often lead to convenient sources of food, mainly fast food, which do not provide all of the essential nutrients our bodies need to function properly and healthily. The things we put into our bodies directly affect brain function. There are many different resources out there that can help working professionals schedule physical fitness into their daily lives to help reduce the negative effects of stress as well as help them prioritize healthy eating habits.
Though fast food is an easy and convenient means of obtaining food, there are many healthier options available for working professionals. A few of the foods that can help improve mental health include:
Whole Foods, such as Unprocessed Grains, Fruits, and Vegetables
Foods with High Fiber Content
Foods High in Antioxidants or Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Leafy Greens & Lentils
Vitamin D-Rich Foods
Lean Proteins
Probiotic Yogurts
Packing your lunch is a great way of making sure that the food available is healthy and nutrient-rich. Many people find it easier to meal prep on the weekends, that way it is convenient in the morning to grab and go. Some other ways to implement healthy eating are:
Make a health-conscious list when you go grocery shopping and stick to it. If you don’t have sugary drinks and unhealthy options at home, you will have little choice but to pack healthy foods for lunch.
Limit eating out to once or twice a week. Not only will this save you money, but it will help you to make healthier choices.
Snack on things like nuts, fruit, and vegetables.
Get the whole family included in healthier eating habits. This is important for teaching kids how to prioritize health, but it also keeps each family member accountable for following through.
Find meals that everyone likes and tweak them to be more health-conscious. Instead of ordering pizza, make it at home. This is a fun way to engage the whole family, but it also allows you to be more aware of what is being put in the food.
Apps such as MyFitnessPal are great ways of tracking what you eat and what category (carbohydrate, protein, fats) those foods fall into and it can help you become more aware of what things you are putting into your body. It can also help to see a nutritionist because they can tell you what things your diet may be lacking and help you make a plan moving forward on what things you should implement into your diet and what things you should stay away from. In the end, being more health-conscious and making sure to add specific vitamins, minerals, and fats into your diet can help reduce the risk of mental health issues, and improve sleep, mood, and overall state of mind.
Fitness Resources
Fitness Trackers
Apple Watch, Fitbit, Samsung Galaxy Fit: These watches have built-in fitness devices that can be synced to your phone for easy and convenient tracking. Fitbit also offers several online community boards to connect members.
An app that tracks workouts as well as meals. This can help individuals who are interested in overall physical health and the app breaks down caloric intake for each day as well as how many calories those exercises burn. MyFitnessPal also offers online communities, some directed specifically at individuals with mental health and substance abuse conditions, to help motivate individuals in group settings.
This non-profit organization is challenging people who struggle with mental health conditions and substance abuse to their Fitness 4Mind4Body which offers different challenges, tips, and tricks for promoting physical wellness and nutritional balance.
A fitness app that can benefit you and others, Charity Miles logs your fitness activity, and for every mile you run, the sponsors of the app will donate to a charity of your choosing. Available for Android and iOS through their website.
If you are unable to fit in a single 30-minute workout, some other ideas for implementing physical activity into your day in increments are:
Taking a walk for 10 minutes in the morning or afternoon.
Ride a bike to work or park farther away from your building to encourage walking.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park farther away than you normally would.
Do yoga or other mindfulness techniques on days off to set the mood and intentions for the week.
Schedule 10 minute breaks between meetings or clients to walk around the office.
Take a walk with friends, neighbors, or family after dinner. This is great because it introduces physical fitness to your kids as well and the family can do it together each night.
Another helpful suggestion is to prioritize physical activities on the weekends to make up for the week. This could include going to the park, swimming, hiking, and a wide variety of other low-impact, healthy activities.