The ability of the mind to affect the health of the body is now widely accepted. Although this was not the case for many years in the modern era, the idea of the mind having an influence on the body goes back thousands of years. The Romans used the phrase “mens sana in corpore sano”, meaning “ a healthy mind in healthy body.” So just how does the mind affect our health?

 

Your body responds to the way you feel and the way you feel is influenced by the way you think. For example, when a person feels stressed the body responds with an increase in blood pressure. High blood pressure can have serious consequences for health over the long term. Your emotional health can also have an impact on your immune system, which can be weakened by stress, leaving you more susceptible to infections ranging from the common cold to much more serious conditions. Many people will have noticed that they seem more likely to suffer from colds when their emotional health is not good.

 

People who are feeling depressed or anxious are also more likely to neglect their physical health, perhaps turning to alcohol or other drugs, which at best will only provide a temporary distraction form their underlying problems. In addition, depressed and anxious people are more likely to comfort eat and give up  an exercise programme, leading to weight gain and even obesity, another widely recognised factor in poor health.

 

Hypnotherapy can be used to help people reach a more beneficial emotional balance resulting in better overall health and well-being. Hypnotherapy should never be considered as an alternative to appropriate medical treatment and anyone suffering from illness should always follow their doctor’s advice very carefully, but many people will find their general health can be helped with appropriate hypnotic suggestions. Hypnosis has been used to alleviate the symptoms of pain, muscle spasms, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, insomnia, weight gain and much more.

 

So, how can you improve your emotional health?

 

• First, try to understand your emotions and what the causes of those emotions may be. Recognising the causes of stress, depression or anxiety can go a long way to reducing the impact of these problems in your life.
• Be prepared to express your feelings in appropriate ways if you think it would help but remember to avoid anger or excessive sadness in the way you express them.
• Try to live a more balanced life, recognising that there are probably many good things in your life too, such as a supportive family or a satisfying career. It can be useful to write down those things that make you feel happy and contented.
• Writing things down can also help you identify those parts of your life that leave you feeling stressed and anxious. Once identified it may be possible to eliminate these factors or at least reduce the impact that they have on your well-being.
• Learning relaxation techniques such as self hypnosis (taught by a qualified hypnotherapist) or meditation can also assist in maintaining a balanced outlook.
• Exercise can help to reduce stress. It need not be strenuous exercise, an evening walk can be enough to reduce stress and anxiety, with the added benefit that will burn more calories and perhaps lose a little weight into the bargain! Speak to your doctor first if you are suffering from heart disease or are concerned in any way about your ability to exercise.

 

So, learn to treat yourself kindly (often we are our own harshest critic) and think positively about yourself and your life and you may find that there are many benefits to your general health that you never expected.