How does our Mental Health Effect our Physical Health

A longitudinal study of adults that has been conducted in the USA has determined that our long-term health can be affected by how long we hold on to the negative emotions we experience from even the smallest stressors in our lives.

By remaining negatively affected (in terms of mood) by seemingly insignificant events such as flat tyres, arguments, etc. we increase our chances of issues such as ‘chronic illnesses, functional impairments, and difficulties with everyday tasks’ further down the line. This is in addition to our emotional reactions to larger events such as illness, accidents, or divorce.

An article in the Association for Psychological Science explains the results of the study further, and also contains a link to the study itself: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/lingering-negative-responses-to-stress-linked-with-health-a-decade-later.html.

This could provide support to the efficacy of mindfulness and other mental health interventions in improving short-term mental health outcomes as well as long-term physical health outcomes.