The Mind-Body Connection: How Mental and Physical Wellness Are Linked
In ancient Greece, three doctors would see a patient together. They were the “knife” doctor, the “herb” doctor, and the “word” doctor. The people who “invented” medicine understood there was a connection between the mind and body and practiced accordingly. Our modern-day Western counterparts (surgeons, physicians, and therapists) rarely even speak with one another.
There is increasing evidence the ancient Greeks were right: Our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes can affect our biological functioning, and what we do with our physical bodies can affect our mental state. In fact, until about 300 years ago, most systems of medicine treated the mind and body as a whole. It wasn’t until the 17th century that Western cultures began to see the body and mind as distinct entities. Researchers began revisiting the mind-body connection in the late 20th century, and since then, they have compiled an impressive amount of data that indicates our bodies and minds share a common chemical language and are constantly communicating with each other. In this article, I will introduce just four of the ways research demonstrates this connection between the mind and body.
Perhaps the most obvious of our examples is the effect of chronic stress, which we often think of as a state of mind, on physical health. Our bodies are designed to handle small doses of mental or emotional stress, and some of it is necessary for us to stay on top of our responsibilities and to remain safe in our environments. But we are not equipped to handle chronic stress without consequences.
Chronic stress can come from things like concern about a loved one’s health or well-being, living in unsafe conditions, money problems, excessive workloads, and so on. The experience of chronic stress causes an increase in heart rate, breathing to quicken, muscles to tighten, and blood pressure to rise. Most symptoms of chronic stress are physical: headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension or pain, sleep problems, chest pain, fatigue, changes in sex drive. Stress also causes an increase in the hormone cortisol, which researchers have linked to serious health issues.
