How Healthy Habits Can Support a Healthier Mind
- integratedsands
- Jul 9
- 4 min read
Written By Osteopath Gemma Ahrens
When we think about happiness, most of us focus on what we feel - joy, energy, contentment. But those emotions don’t just appear out of thin air. They are deeply influenced by the way we treat our bodies day-to-day. Just like movement, the way we sleep, eat, hydrate, and manage stress can play a big role in how balanced and resilient we feel emotionally.
In this second part of our series on health, wellness, and happiness, we’ll explore how these daily habits influence mood - and how small shifts can lead to big improvements in mental wellbeing.
Sleep: The Foundation of Mental Resilience
Sleep isn't just about rest - it’s the time when your body resets and your brain processes emotions, memory, and stress. Without enough good-quality sleep, even small stressors can feel overwhelming.
A study published in Sleep Health found that people who reported sleeping fewer than six hours a night had significantly higher levels of psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, compared to those who slept seven to eight hours (Jackowska et al., 2016). Poor sleep has been shown to affect everything from our energy levels to our ability to regulate emotions and think clearly. It’s one of the most important (yet most overlooked) pillars of mental health.
Improving sleep hygiene - the habits and environment around sleep - can make a big difference. Try keeping a consistent bedtime and wake time, limiting screen time in the hour before bed, avoiding caffeine late in the day, and creating a calm, dark space to sleep. Even small improvements to your evening routine can help your body wind down and improve sleep quality over time.
Osteopathic Tip: If pain or discomfort is affecting your sleep, an osteopathic consultation may help identify musculoskeletal factors that could be affecting this. Osteopathic treatment aims to improve mobility and decrease restrictions within the body, as well as offering advice on good sleep hygiene and best sleeping positions for your body and situation.
Food and Mood: The Gut-Brain Connection
Have you ever noticed how your mood can shift after eating too much sugar? Or how balanced meals help you feel more emotionally steady? The gut and brain are closely connected through the gut-brain axis, a communication network involving nerves, hormones, and gut bacteria.
In fact, up to 90% of serotonin (a key “feel-good” neurotransmitter) is produced in the gut (Carabotti et al., 2015). Research has shown that diets rich in whole foods, like vegetables, fruits, legumes, lean protein, and healthy fats - are linked to lower rates of depression and anxiety (Jacka et al., 2017).
Osteopathic Tip: While osteopaths don’t prescribe diets, we may refer you to allied health professionals like dieticians and work collaboratively to support digestive comfort, reduce tension around the abdomen, and encourage lifestyle habits that support gut health.
Hydration and Energy
Even mild dehydration can lead to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mood dips. A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that a fluid loss of just 1.5% of body weight can impair cognitive performance and increase perception of fatigue and anxiety (Ganio et al., 2011).
In cooler weather or busy schedules, it’s easy to forget to drink water. Staying hydrated is a simple, powerful way to support your body and mind.
Managing Stress Through the Body
Chronic stress activates the sympathetic nervous system (your “fight or flight” mode), which over time can contribute to fatigue, muscle tension, digestive upset, and emotional burnout. Learning to shift into the parasympathetic state (the “rest and digest” system) helps restore balance and calm.
Techniques like deep breathing, gentle movement, mindfulness practices, and time in nature are all evidence-based strategies for regulating stress. One study found that just 20 minutes in nature can significantly lower cortisol, the body's main stress hormone (Hunter et al., 2019).
Osteopathic Tip: Osteopathic treatment may help support nervous system regulation through manual techniques that aim to reduce physical tension and promote parasympathetic activity. We may also suggest breathing techniques and specific stretches and exercises to enhance your self-care routine.
The Wellness-Happiness Loop
Each of these habits; sleep, food, hydration, stress - feeds into the next. When one area improves, it often has a ripple effect throughout the body. This is what we are calling the wellness-happiness loop: your body and mind supporting each other in a positive cycle.
Small shifts in your daily routine such as adding a short walk, preparing a simple nourishing meal, or winding down before bed can have a noticeable effect on how you feel mentally and emotionally.
What You Can Do This Week
Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep most nights and keep your wake-up time consistent.
Ensure you are eating 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetable every day.
Keep a water bottle handy and aim to sip throughout the day. (Recommended daily intake is 2.7 litres for women and 3.7 litres for men)
Practice a few minutes of deep breathing or gentle stretching each evening.
Coming Next: Embodying Happiness – Mindfulness, Positivity, and the Power of Connection
If you need any support with establishing health habits, are looking for advice or need help with any aches or pains, book an appointment with Gemma below. Alternatively, give us a call on 0425 876 929 to discuss your needs.
References
- Jacka, F. N., O'Neil, A., Opie, R., et al. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary
improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Medicine, 15(1), 23.
- Carabotti, M., Scirocco, A., Maselli, M. A., & Severi, C. (2015). The gut-brain axis: Interactions
between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Annals of Gastroenterology,
28(2), 203–209.
- Ganio, M. S., Armstrong, L. E., Casa, D. J., et al. (2011). Mild dehydration impairs cognitive
performance and mood in men. The Journal of Nutrition, 141(3), 594–599.
- Jackowska, M., Brown, J., Ronaldson, A., & Steptoe, A. (2016). The impact of sleep
disturbances on mental health: A longitudinal study of older adults in England. Sleep Health,
2(2), 90–94.
- Hunter, M. R., Gillespie, B. W., & Chen, S. Y. P. (2019). Urban nature experiences reduce stress
in the context of daily life based on salivary biomarkers. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 722.
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