Emotional Health

One Most Vital Yet Often Neglected and Less Spoken Aspect of Health

As it might sound a cheesy topic to some people, emotions play a crucial role in health and lifespan. Could you listen for a brief moment? It is important.

Emotional Stress As the Larger Part of the Iceberg

While writing extensively on various health aspects, a peculiar trend emerged: articles focusing on emotional well-being garnered minimal attention. Topics concerning emotional intelligence, maturity, and emotional wellness barely reached my audience for unknown reasons.

It appeared that the algorithm overlooked their importance, restricting their reach to only a fraction of my considerable follower base. However, I don’t solely attribute this issue to the algorithm. It’s possible I haven’t been using engaging titles or articulating my points effectively.

For example, even the most successful piece has yet to receive 100 views on a platform with thousands of readers, leading to disappointment regarding the reception of these impactful messages.

In contrast, stories related to weight loss garnered significantly more views despite the equal importance of emotions in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I hope this story reaches more readers because the message is incredibly crucial for our health. You can thank me later.

Beyond this platform, in various health-related discussions, including those among professionals, the focus on emotional well-being often appears limited, staying within the domains of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, or psychotherapists. For instance, I haven’t had conversations about my emotional well-being with my family physicians, as they never asked.

Although there are exceptional instances where specific health consultants have acknowledged its importance in my experience, like my psychiatrist mentor Janine, I have observed that it is a topic that doesn’t consistently receive attention within the broader discourse despite its importance.

Here’s why I wrote this piece today.

Recently, I watched over three hours of video by famous neuroscientist Andrew Huberman interviewing prevalent medical doctor Peter Attia on YouTube. It is titled Improve Vitality, Emotional & Physical Health & Lifespan. This interview is worth watching as it is insightful and engaging.

Dr. Peter Attia, a public figure I have long admired for his science-driven approach and transformative experiments into once unconventional practices like fasting and keto diets, has significantly influenced my self-experimentation journey. While these practices no longer align with his health and longevity regimen, they remarkably benefited mine, for which I am indebted to his inspiration.

I specifically mention Dr Attia in this post as he made a groundbreaking revelation in his recent book Outlive about longevity. For the first time in his adult life and medical practice covering longevity, he included the importance of emotions in the equation, which nicely and gratefully surprised me and thousands of his readers as echoed in social media.

This inclusion of emotions in the equation, showcased in his bestseller's final and most crucial chapter, resonated deeply with readers. Dr. Attia’s personal struggles and anecdotes beautifully illustrated the vulnerability stemming from his lack of emotional intelligence, shedding light on how it reverberated through his personal life and health.

This unexpected embrace of emotional health in a domain primarily focused on physiological aspects captivated me and many of his readers. It signaled a momentous shift in the conversation around health and longevity, adding a layer of depth that had long been overlooked.

Congratulations to Dr. Attia and numerous health practitioners for shedding light on the critical role of emotional health, particularly concerning men, as extensively documented in the body of knowledge.

My Humble Perspectives on Emotional Health

Emotion refers to a complex psychological state triggered by internal or external stimuli. Emotions encompass a broad spectrum of pleasant and unpleasant feelings like happiness, sadness, anger, fear, love, and more, influencing our thoughts, actions, relationships, and well-being.

While emotions are commonly associated with psychological states, they significantly impact bodily functions. Their influence extends beyond mental experiences, affecting hormonal levels, neurotransmitter activity, immune response, and gene expression.

This interconnected relationship covering our neocortex and the limbic system underscores emotions' critical role in maintaining physical and mental health that might lead to a longer lifespan.

Emotions, often brushed off as intangible aspects of human existence, are crucial for health and longevity. Emotions hold profound importance in our well-being despite their seemingly fleeting nature, supported by scientific and clinical studies.

This concept revolves around the mind-body connection, where complex interactions between our mental and physical states occur. As intricate neurological responses, emotions prompt various physiological changes within the body.

The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon cover the intricate relationship between the brain, the nervous system, and the immune system. Emotions serve as signals, communicating to our bodies to adapt, react, or sustain certain states.

Think about stress triggered by unpleasant emotions prevalent in today’s fast-paced world. Its effects go beyond momentary tension. It triggers hormonal changes, activating the HBA axis, elevating cortisol, influencing the nervous system, and weakening the immune system.

When consistently high, cortisol levels can hinder immune function, disturb sleep cycles, upset the digestive system, and accelerate cellular aging.

Positive emotions, like joy and contentment, can bolster immune function, fortifying the body’s defenses against illnesses and promoting overall health. Conversely, sustained negative emotions like anger, fear, anxiety, boredom, or loneliness can undermine immunity, making us more vulnerable to health issues.

In my previous stories, I’ve covered scientific studies that consistently affirm this correlation. For instance, people wrestling with emotional traumas leading to chronic stress show a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, neurological disorders, reduced cognitive functions, and compromised metabolic health. My father’s ALS struggle was one of the case studies I documented.

On the other hand, studies on emotional regulation demonstrate its ability to reduce stress hormones, boost immune activity, and alleviate pain, highlighting the profound impact of positive emotions on health. For example, a case study on Gloria’s laughter therapy sheds light on this.

The implications of these observations and findings are profound, emphasizing the pressing need to include emotional well-being in conversations surrounding health and longevity.

Embracing emotions as an integral part of health care could revolutionize preventive medicine and wellness practices. For example, mindfulness, meditation, and cognitive-behavioral therapies can promote emotional resilience and contribute to physiological improvements, promoting robust health and extending life expectancy.

I envision a world where emotional health isn’t overlooked but recognized as a fundamental element of holistic well-being. Here, interventions can prioritize not only symptom treatment but also the cultivation of emotional balance and well-being.

By cultivating an environment conducive to emotional health — whether through stress management programs, fostering healthy relationships, or community support systems — we could mitigate negative emotions’ impact and enhance positive ones’ beneficial effects.

Conclusions and Takeaways

In this transformative shift where emotions take center stage in health, longevity, and vitality, using our embodied cognitions, we are empowered to assume control over the health span and lifespan for a fulfilling life.

Empowering ourselves through understanding emotional regulation, enhancing emotional intelligence, seeking supportive social connections, pursuing activities that bring joy, and embracing stress-relief techniques becomes a powerful arsenal for a healthy, vibrant, and extended life.

Though intangible and might sound cheesy, emotions undeniably influence our health and well-being. Embracing, comprehending, and mastering our emotions could be the key to unlocking a healthier, longer, and profoundly fulfilling life.

As our emotions are triggered by external factors, establishing an emotional self-defense system proves pivotal for maintaining mental health and well-being amidst emotional stress.

Key facets of this metaphorical defense involve recognizing emotional triggers and manipulative influences, setting robust emotional boundaries, and diffusing emotions through a shift in perspective gleaned from personal experience.

I invite you to recognize the significance of this crucial aspect of human existence and pave the way for a future where prioritizing emotional well-being takes center stage in our quest for better health, longevity, and vitality.

Here are a few actions to improve emotional health.

1 — Schedule joyful and leisure activities no matter how busy you are.

2 — Leverage mindfulness practices, meditate, and work in a flow state.

3 — Energize with breathing, music, dance, and physical workouts.

4 — Acquire joy with good relationships and social connections.

5 — Express your emotions with writing, self-talk, and art.

6 — Watch out for stress symptoms and obtain timely professional support when feeling overwhelmed to prevent emotional dysregulation and burnout and nervous breakdown.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

To inform my new readers, I wrote numerous articles that might inform and inspire you. My topics include brain and cognitive function, significant health conditions, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, and humor. 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Circles for the Last 50+ Years

I publish my health and wellness stories on EUPHORIA. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness. Be Your Own Therapist in 10 Steps.

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