Mindbody Connection: How your emotions can affect your health.

Have you ever noticed that during or after a stressful day at work or cramming for an exam that your shoulders gets closer to your ear and you end up with tension or a knot in your neck and shoulders? This is due to emotional stress.

Poor emotions can carry stress factors which can lead to causing tension throughout your body. Poor emotional health can weaken your body’s immune system and you more susceptible to infections.

So, what are other signs of poor emotional health? This can include:

• Back pain

• Change in appetite

• Chest pain

• Constipation or diarrhea

• Dry mouth

• Extreme tiredness

• General aches and pains

• Headaches

• High blood pressure

• Insomnia (trouble sleeping)

• Light headedness

• Palpitations (the feeling that your heart is racing)

• Shortness of breath

• Stiff neck

• Sweating

• Upset stomach

• Weight gain or loss

• Change in appetite

• Constipation or diarrhoea

• Extreme tiredness

• Headaches

• Insomnia (trouble sleeping)

• Palpitations (the feeling that your heart is racing)

• Stiff neck

• Upset stomach

Paths to improve your emotional health

There are many ways to improve your emotional health. This can be seeing a health professional or even something simple at home like meditation or living a balanced life.

Massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being.

Studies have found that massage is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension. According to a study based on chronic neck pain by the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (Sherman et. al,2014), multiple 60-minute massages done on a weekly basis were far more effective to treat people with chronic neck pain compared to those coming in for 30-minute session two three times a week or for those who have treatments on a fortnightly, monthly basis.

Another article written on the American Journal of Nursing (2016) says that massage supports the healing process which is now routinely used in hospital care and the authors discuss massage in nursing care and its relation between emotional and physiological benefits.

So, if you’re finding that niggly tight spot in your neck, shoulder ‘feel’ that tension in your hamstring as you walk, invest yourself in a massage for self-care.

Reference:

Sherman KJ, Cook AJ, Wellman RD, et al. 2014, ‘Five-week outcomes from a dosing trial of therapeutic massage for chronic neck pain’, Annals of Family Medicine,12(2), pg. 112–120.

Westman, K and Blaisdell, C, 2016, ‘Many benefits, little risk: the use of massage in nursing practice’, The American Journal of Nursing, New York, Vol 116, Issue 1, pg 34.