How Does Mental Health Affect Your Physical Health?

The brain and body aren’t just acquaintances. They’re very close friends who share practically everything. Joy, sadness, and even illnesses simultaneously affect the brain and body. As such, it’s just as important to care for our mental health as it is our physical health. If our mental health suffers, our physical health will also begin to decline. 

If you aren’t sure what good mental health looks like, we’ll paint a picture and compare it to the signs of mental health that need assistance. We’ll also talk about the physical aspects of your health that can be impacted by mental health. Finally, we’ll talk about how to support your mental health so you can thrive both mentally and physically.

What Is Mental Health?

Sure, we’ve all said we need a “mental health” day, but that may simply mean we need a day to go shopping or binge-watch Netflix. In scientific terms, mental health is the measure of your social, psychological, and emotional well-being. 

Your mental health shapes how you experience the world around you and how you think and react to circumstances in your life. We are constantly relying on our mental health. It keeps us emotionally stable and helps us make decisions about our lives. It’s also what keeps us socially connected or isolated and makes it possible for us to hold down a job. 

A person’s mental health may suffer without them realizing it. There’s no blood test for poor mental health, so psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners rely on thorough examinations, interviews, and tests to learn the state of a person’s mental health. 

A Picture of Good Mental Health

Good mental health doesn’t mean that a person is always happy and carefree. Instead, it means they can live their lives without much interference from their emotions or stress, and that they’re able to maintain social connections. 

Symptoms of good mental health include:

• Emotional resilience. When something negative happens, a person with good mental health can bounce back without losing their sense of self.
  
  
• Balanced mood and energy. Fluctuations with mood and energy levels are normal, but a person with good mental health does not feel as though they are riding an emotional rollercoaster.
  
  
• Social connectivity. Good mental health allows people to enjoy healthy relationships and social connections.
  
  
• Healthy stress response. Stress affects everyone, but a person with balanced mental health has techniques to help manage stress.
  
  
• Adaptability. People with good mental health can adapt to change, even when it is hard.

No one checks all these boxes every day, but someone with good mental health experiences these more than they don’t. 

Mental Health That Needs a Check-Up

Poor mental health may start slowly and progress over time. It may also be situational (connected to losing a relationship, a job, or financial stress). 

Symptoms of poor mental health may include:

• Feeling sad, irritable, and hopeless for long periods.
• Social withdrawal or a loss of interest in relationships.
• Loss of focus and concentration, feeling constantly distracted.
• Feeling overwhelmed the majority of the time.
• Trouble sleeping. 

Everyone has bad days, and it’s important not to confuse a bad day or situation with a decline in mental health. Many mental health practitioners consider a person to be suffering from poor mental health if they experience persistent symptoms that last more than two weeks.

Mental Health Changes With Age

As we age, our mental health landscape can shift in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. A decline in overall cognitive function can lead to feelings of sadness and frustration, and underlying health conditions may also impact our mental abilities. 

Cognitive Decline

Some cognitive decline is common with age, but more serious conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease, can negatively impact a person’s life. Cognitive decline may begin as early as age 40, but increases sharply after age 65. Over time, dementia gets worse and begins to impact a person’s physical health.

Depression

Depression knows no age parameters, but it is increasingly more common in the elderly population. Depression may go undiagnosed in the elderly because it can overlap with chronic illness and aging. 

Finally, it may be hard for a person to realize they are depressed if they don’t feel “sad.” Depression symptoms may include sadness, but can also look like fatigue, irritability, and loss of interest in relationships or activities.

Anxiety

Stress serves a purpose in our lives, but too much stress can lead to anxiety. Anxiety may increase with age, especially if a person experiences more loss, financial insecurity, or significant changes in their health. Anxiety that goes unchecked also leads to negative physical health impacts. 

Physical Systems That Change With Poor Mental Health

When your mental health takes a dip, it isn’t just your mind that suffers. Practically every system in your body responds to the changes in your mental health, from your skin to your bones.

Skin Changes

Stress in your teens may have led to a pimple before a big test, but as an adult, skin changes may become more significant when mental health changes. Although breakouts are still possible, other changes include rashes, increased symptoms from eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea.

Immunity

Your immune system takes a nosedive when you aren’t mentally balanced. Chronic stress and depression can suppress immune cell production, making it easier for you to get sick and harder for you to heal. Over time, you may find yourself catching every cold or virus that goes around.

Cardiovascular Health

We all know that chronic stress is bad, but it poses a serious risk to your cardiovascular health. Both anxiety and depression are linked to increased heart rate and higher blood pressure. Stress that goes unmanaged can also increase a person’s risk of heart attack and stroke.

Gut Health

The brain-gut axis is the system by which the brain and gut communicate. They are directly connected, and changes in one affect the other. When mental health suffers, so does digestion. This is why you may experience more heartburn and digestive problems when you are feeling mentally unwell. 

Endocrine System

The system responsible for making your hormones, regulating sleep, and firing up your metabolism can also become unbalanced when there are changes to your mental health. Hormone production and regulation may become unbalanced, leading to changes in sleep and appetite. You may also find yourself struggling with what seems like a sluggish metabolism. 

Musculoskeletal System

Physical activity and exercise may seem impossible when you are mentally ill. A decline in exercise and movement may lead to muscle loss and weaker bones. Over time, these losses could increase your risk of developing osteoporosis. 

Longevity

Mental health that is not well managed often has a bad ending. Ultimately, it can interfere with our physical health to a degree that places us at risk of a shorter lifespan. Unregulated mental health can lead to accelerated aging, a higher risk of chronic illness, and unhealthy changes in lifestyle factors that all seek to take years off your life. 

Thankfully, there are actionable strategies and treatment options available to help us boost our mental health and protect our physical well-being. 

Supporting Your Mental Health

Ready for some good news? Mental health isn’t a fixed state. You can improve it, treat it, and protect it from some aspects of cognitive decline. 

Here’s a cheat sheet to staying mentally healthy. 

Mental Fitness

Physical fitness is important, but so is mental fitness. Crossword puzzles and brain teasers help keep you mentally sharp. Want bonus points? Try learning a new skill or language. In addition, daily mental health awareness can help you make sure you are feeling mentally fit. 

To keep mentally fit, try:

• Meditation or yoga for managing stress
• Prioritizing sleep
• Staying engaged with your friends and family
• Exercising
• Avoiding excess alcohol 

These steps can help you stay mentally balanced even when you are struggling through a hard time.

Get Help When You Need It

Mental health professionals exist to treat mental illness. Mental health problems that don’t go away on their own could sideline your physical health. Getting treatment is important. If you are suffering from feelings of worry, sadness, or hopelessness, get help through therapy or talking to a psychiatrist about your concerns. 

Be Supplement Smart

Did you know there was a supplement that offers neuroprotective benefits to every cell in your brain (and body)? There is. Fatty15 is the first and only supplement that contains the pure, vegan-friendly version of an essential fatty acid known as C15:0. 

How C15:0 May Support Cognitive Function

A recent study funded by the Office of Naval Research examined the potential of fatty15 (C15:0) to directly support brain health. The research, conducted by an independent third-party panel, aimed to identify compounds with neuroprotective properties.

Published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, the study found that C15:0 demonstrated two dose-dependent actions that may promote cognitive wellness:

FAAH Inhibition

C15:0 was shown to inhibit the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). To understand why this matters, it helps to start with endocannabinoids—naturally occurring compounds in the body that help regulate immune balance in the brain and support emotional and cognitive well-being.

As we age, FAAH activity tends to increase, which leads to a faster breakdown of these “feel-good” molecules. This process has been linked to declines in mood and cognitive performance over time. By blocking FAAH, C15:0 may help preserve these helpful compounds, potentially supporting brain health, restful sleep, joint comfort, and emotional balance.

MAO-B Inhibition

C15:0 also appears to inhibit monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), an enzyme responsible for breaking down dopamine, a neurotransmitter crucial for memory, mood, and overall cognitive function. With age, MAO-B levels tend to rise, leading to reduced dopamine availability.

By limiting MAO-B activity, C15:0 may help maintain healthy dopamine levels, contributing to clearer thinking, a calmer mood, and better sleep. Research by Knoll and Ruehl, among others, has also shown that MAO-B inhibitors can extend the lifespan of animals, further highlighting their potential role in healthy aging.

Given these promising mechanisms, compounds like fatty15 have been proposed as potential tools to support long-term brain health and slow the biological processes associated with cognitive decline.

These findings align with earlier human studies suggesting that individuals with higher C15:0 levels tend to perform better on cognitive assessments, with reported improvements in memory and emotional well-being.

FAQs

How does mental health affect physical health?

The body and mind work together, so it's not surprising that mental ill health can affect your body. Depression can have side effects like headaches, fatigue, and digestive problems, and anxiety can create an upset stomach, for example. You may have other symptoms, like insomnia, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating.

How does mental health affect physical performance?

Mental fatigue may affect athletic performance because it interferes with cognition. When cognitive function is compromised, executive functions, like reaction time and attention, can be altered, causing changes in how an athlete performs. 

What is it called when your mental health affects your physical health?

A psychosomatic disorder happens when a mental illness causes or makes a physical condition and its symptoms worse. The term psychosomatic comes from the prefix “psycho,” which means “mind,” and “somatic,” which means “body.”

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Mental health can’t be reduced to that simple phrase, but if you find yourself feeling worrisome and down the majority of the time, there is help available. Ignoring mental health can have a negative impact on your physical health and can even shorten your lifespan. 

Invest in your longevity today by giving yourself regular mental health check-ups, staying physically fit, and adding fatty15 to your daily health stack. It’s an easy key to unlock a longer, healthier life. 

Sources:

Depression | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

The Potential Psychological Impact of Skin Conditions | PMC

Immune Suppression and Immune Activation in Depression | PMC

The Brain-Gut Connection | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Aging-Associated Amyloid-β Plaques and Neuroinflammation in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Novel Cognitive Health-Supporting Roles of Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0)

Efficacy of dietary odd-chain saturated fatty acid pentadecanoic acid parallels broad associated health benefits in humans: could it be essential? | Scientific Reports