5 Ways You Can Improve Both Your Mental and Heart Health

For Dr. Sujana Gundlapalli, mental health and heart health go hand in hand.

The Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital cardiologist has been practicing for 15 years, and an important aspect of her work is helping patients prioritize both their heart health and their mental health. She sees her patients struggle because they are often not aware of how their own habits are stopping them from achieving their best health.

“If you’re not aware of your own mental health and you’re not taking care of it at some level, it’s hard to implement the things we talk about in heart health,” she said.

For this year’s Heart Month, Dr. Gundlapalli has five tips to help patients improve both their mental and heart health, and it’s as easy as knowing your ABCs

When you drink alcohol, your body's stress response system can become activated, leading to increased cortisol production. Higher levels of cortisol can contribute to coronary artery disease and heart failure. Alcohol can also increase the risk of atrial fibrillation — which is a major cause of stroke — and can decrease quality of sleep, which is crucial for our brains and bodies to recharge. Many use alcohol to ease anxiety, but it has the opposite effect, so being aware of your triggers is important.

Being aware of your body and treating it with the respect that it deserves can be a game changer. Thirty minutes of cardiac exercise is proven to benefit heart health as well as mental health by releasing feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which help regulate your mood naturally. It also improves sleep, decreases the risk of dementia, and is the key to longevity.

Breathing activates our parasympathetic nervous system allowing us to relax and ward off the stress response. Make sleep a priority and aim for seven to eight hours per night. Keep the bedroom calm and device-free to create a peaceful environment conducive to sleep and by extension, your health. A journal can be a helpful tool to keep tabs on what you are grateful for, allowing you to focus on the positive aspects of your life.

Get off your phones and increase direct contact with your community! Studies have shown that excessive smartphone use is associated with both negative mental and physical health issues like impaired cognitive function and reduced physical fitness. Here in Michigan, it’s important to go outside and get some sunshine (a great source of Vitamin D which also can impact your physical and mental health) when we can! Being with loved ones releases oxytocin, another feel-good neurotransmitter that connects us to each other.

Gut health is key to mental health, as eating certain foods rich in tryptophan can help release serotonin. Eating a Mediterranean diet is not only great for your gut, but it can also help to decrease cholesterol and lower the risk of coronary artery disease. So, keep up with fiber intake and avoid overly processed foods.