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The connection between physical and mental health
By: Benefits by Design | Tuesday July 23, 2024
Updated : Monday July 15, 2024
In today’s work environment, the importance of supporting both physical and mental health among your employees should not be overlooked. Many studies indicate that physically active employees enjoy improved sleep and brain health, leading to enhanced mental well-being.
Maintaining positive physical and mental health benefits employees and employers by boosting productivity and reducing errors. In this blog, we will explore these benefits in more detail and highlight how investing in your employees can drive success in your business.
The mental health benefits from physical health
Engaging in physical activity has many benefits for your mental health.
- Brain health – Engaging in exercise increases brain health by boosting your memory, improving blood flow, and reducing inflammation.
- Decreases stress – Physical activity can alleviate stress by helping your body manage its response to stress by releasing endorphins. Endorphins are natural mood enhancers. By staying active you can stop your body from feeling the negative impacts of stress.
- Reduces risk of anxiety and depression– Being active can reduce stress by keeping you occupied, changing your mind focus from worries. You also release “feel-good endorphins that will improve your sense of well-being”. Being active also reduces depression because it helps boost confidence, even if it’s just by achieving an exercise goal. Staying active also allows for social interaction, whether through joining a class or walking with friends. It also promotes healthy emotional coping mechanisms.
- Improved sleep – Staying physically active throughout the day could help you fall asleep faster since your body is drained after all your activities. It also increases your body’s release of hormones, such as melatonin, which makes it easier for you to sleep. When you have an active lifestyle you will regulate your sleep-wake cycle which will contribute to having better sleep quality. Additionally, when your stress and anxiety are reduced through physical activity it allows your mind to quiet down and stop the racing thoughts you might normally have when trying to fall asleep.
- Overall health and well-being – Consistently staying active will also benefit your overall health by “lowering your blood pressure, preventing bone loss, boosting your levels of good cholesterol, and keeping your weight under control .”
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Benefits for employers of improved physical and mental health
Prioritizing your employees’ physical and mental health will benefit your business in the long run.
- Employee productivity – When your employees have good physical and mental health, their energy levels increase, allowing them to maintain higher levels of productivity because of improved concentration. This means they will generate more ideas and be more productive. Furthermore, good mental health boosts their mood, creating a positive mindset at work. A positive mindset will motivate them to contribute and be more helpful.
- Increased creativity and innovation – Good physical and mental health reduces stress, increases mood, and creates conditions for better brain health. This allows the creative juices to flow freely and generate new ideas because the brain has time to relax and think. Physical activity helps the brain function and leads to better memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. All these together give the brain more power to be more creative.
- Fewer errors – There are many circumstances which can lead to errors in the workplace, such as bad sleep, stress, overall health, and many more. Keeping active and prioritizing their mental health will allow employees to avoid these and make fewer errors within their work.
- Improved employee retention – Good mental health will reduce employee burnout, increase productivity and promote a healthy work-life balance. All of which can lead to improved overall happiness. Employees who are physically and mentally healthy are generally more satisfied and happier within their jobs. They are more likely to feel fulfilled by their role, which can reduce employee attrition.
- Reduced absenteeism – Employees with good physical and mental health are less likely to take sick days because they have lower stress levels, improved sleep, increased energy, and better immune function. Many factors which would normally lead to your employee taking a day off are avoided through good physical and mental health.
Conclusion
Overall, there is a significant relationship between physical and mental health and your employees’ performance. Research has shown that “people who regularly get active have been proven to be more productive at work, think more creatively, and are less likely to make mistakes than those who aren’t active.”. Investing in your employee’s health is not just beneficial for them but also has advantages for your business. You’ll enjoy increased productivity and creativity, reduced errors, improved employee retention, and decreased absenteeism. By having a work culture that prioritizes your employee’s well-being you can create an environment where they feel supported and welcomed, leading to advantages for your business.
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