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What’s Hurting Your Mental Health, and What You Can Do About It

These five factors can negatively affect you, especially if you have a chronic health condition.
Author: By Matt Morgan
Taking Charge, Fitness & Nutrition

Mental health issues are a widespread problem in our society. More than 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Among people with chronic health conditions, however, the rates of mental illness are even higher.

“The impact of chronic diseases on mental health continues to be a significant concern in the field of public health,” write the authors of a 2023 study published in Mental Health & Prevention. “Consistent research has shown that a bidirectional relationship (exists) between chronic diseases and mental health conditions, with each influencing the other.”

Besides the burden of managing a chronic health condition, a number of lifestyle factors can negatively affect mental health. Read on to learn about those factors — and get tips to counter them.

1. Lack of Sleep

Sleep is essential to physical health, helping our bodies repair from the day and boosting our immune system. Sleep is integral to our mental health, too.

“Getting enough of the quality sleep we need helps to regulate mood, reduce stress and anxiety, maintain cognitive function, enhance overall well-being, and support optimal performance,” the National Sleep Foundation explains. “In contrast, poor sleep health is associated with negative mood, increased emotional reactivity, and difficulty regulating our emotions.”

Here's how you can improve your sleep:

  • Get regular sun exposure during the day, but not close to bedtime. This helps your natural sleep-wake cycle.
  • Avoid technology before going to bed, as these devices stimulate the brain. Need to wind down? Read a book.
  • Stop drinking caffeinated beverages late in the day, especially if you’re sensitive to the stimulant.
  • Consider cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, which helps identify the cause of your insomnia. Talk to your provider about CBT-I.

If pain from bleeds or arthritis prevents you from getting quality sleep, talk to a provider.

2. Alcohol Consumption

You might enjoy a drink to celebrate a special occasion or relax after a long day. But there are things you should know about alcohol.

People with bleeding disorders need to consider how alcohol might affect them physically. It acts like a blood thinner, which increases the risks of bleeds. Plus, alcohol could have dangerous interactions with medication.

Regarding mental health: “Alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so you may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink,” the U.K.’s Mental Health Foundation says. “But these effects quickly wear off. The chemical changes in your brain can soon lead to more negative feelings, such as anger, depression, or anxiety, regardless of your mood.”

Here's how you can manage alcohol consumption:

  • Be aware of how much you’re drinking. Limit to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
  • Have something to eat, as it helps absorb the alcohol.
  • Tell someone you’re with about your bleeding disorder so they can help you if you have an accident.
  • Abstain if you’re taking interacting medications or drinking becomes a problem. Get help if you need it.

3. Poor Diet

Have you ever felt sluggish after eating a plate of fried chicken and french fries, or energized after salmon with green beans and brown rice? The stomach is more connected to your mental health than you might think.

The American Society for Nutrition points to a lot of research on the positive impact of healthful eating on mental health. “A healthy diet provides more vitamins and minerals, healthy fats, and fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, which can reduce inflammation and alter neurotransmitters to reduce symptoms of depression,” the organization explains.

Here are some tips for a healthy diet:

  • Fill up with fruits and vegetables, which are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
  • Eat more whole grains, such as oats, barley, whole wheat, flax seed, bran, brown rice, and pasta.
  • Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Also, try a meatless meal now and then by incorporating beans, nuts, and seeds.
  • Reduce your intake of fats — butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard — and focus on olive and canola oils instead.

4. Technology Dependency

Computers, smartphones, and streaming TVs give us virtually limitless connectivity and entertainment, yet researchers wonder whether it’s all making us unhappy.

Although social media and cellphone use are often cited for contributing to mental illness, there is more to the problem of technology, writes Sophie H. Janicke-Bowles, Ph.D., in Psychology Today. The rise in automation takes away human interaction (think about the grocery store checkout lane), technology creates a faster pace of life with less downtime (less time to let our minds wander), and multitasking blurs the work-life balance (resulting in burnout).

Strive for a healthy use of technology:

  • Monitor how much you use tech — many devices have built-in tools for this — and set screen time limits if needed.
  • Manage notifications on your phone to eliminate distractions so you can focus.
  • Schedule tech-free times during the week or create tech-free spaces around the house.
  • Set expectations for response times by letting people know you may not reply to texts and emails right away.

5. Physical Inactivity

Physical activity is good for the mind. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals that reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and improve mood and self-esteem.

When you don’t exercise, it’s a problem: In one longitudinal study, researchers found that participants with the lowest physical activity levels had 98% higher odds of depression and 60% higher odds of anxiety compared with those reporting high fitness levels.

To get more physical activity: