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Everything You Need to Know About the Mind-Body Connection

No, it's not all in your head. ByCarolyn Todd

It’s pretty common these days to hear people talk about the mind-body connection. Maybe you’ve heard about it on social media, in a yoga class or run club, or from your friend who swears their lower back pain gets worse whenever they’re super stressed. 

So what exactly are we actually talking about when we talk about the mind-body connection? How real is it? Can you truly blame your physical symptoms on your emotions or the job that’s stressing you out? And what does all of this mean for your health and well-being? We tapped a few mind-body experts to find out. 

What is the mind-body connection? 

“The ‘mind-body connection’ refers to the interplay of the mind and body,” says Chiara Gasteiger, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in psychology in the Mind & Body Lab at Stanford University. The two are deeply connected in lots of ways, Dr. Gasteiger explains, so what’s going on in one naturally influences what’s going on in the other. “Our mind—through our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions—influences our physiological responses, health, and well-being,” Dr. Gasteiger says. “And at the same time, the state of your body profoundly shapes your thoughts and mood.” 

Despite how woo-woo this might sound, it’s grounded in tons of research, says Elyse R. Park, PhD, MPH, professor of psychiatry and medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of research at the Massachusetts General Hospital Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. We’ll get into that science in a bit, but you don’t have to pore through studies to know the connection is real. “You can see the mind-body connection in action all the time,” Dr. Gasteiger says. 

For example: “If you’re nervous before a presentation, you might suddenly get an upset stomach or sweaty hands,” Dr. Gasteiger says. (That’s mind influencing body.) Another one: When you’re sick in bed with a migraine or the flu, your mood may tank too. (That’s body influencing mind.) 

If you deal with depression, maybe you’ve noticed that it can impact not just your thoughts and emotions, but also your appetite or energy levels. Maybe you know that exercise (or even just a silly little mental health walk) does wonders for your mood. Something almost everyone can relate to is the connection between sleep and mental health, says Dr. Park. Your racing mind can keep your body from resting. And a crappy night of sleep can make you not only physically exhausted the next day, but also crabby and mentally sluggish. 

Where did the mind-body connection come from? 

The idea that your physical and mental states are linked seemed pretty out there just a few decades ago, says Dr. Park. But the mind-body connection isn’t actually new at all. For centuries, ancient healing practices and cultures (like Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and Ancient Greece) emphasized that the health of your body and your psyche were deeply intertwined, Dr. Gasteiger points out.

But around the 17th century, “Western medicine shifted toward viewing the mind and body as separate entities,” explains Dr. Gasteiger. It wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that doctors started becoming seriously interested in the mind-body connection—and finding scientific evidence to support it. During that time, a Harvard cardiologist began studying mind-body links like the effects of stress on blood pressure and the impact of meditation on your breathing and heart rate, Dr. Park explains. By 1975, a new field called psychoneuroimmunology (psychology + neurology + immunology) was illuminating how stress and emotions can affect the immune system, Dr. Gasteiger says. 

In the late 1970s, a new “biopsychosocial” model of health gave medical providers a way to conceptualize well-being as more than just your biology, but also your psychology and social environment, Dr. Gasteiger explains. Advances in fields like neuroscience also led to a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection. Today, the concept is widely accepted in Western medicine, Dr. Park says. Just ask anyone who’s had a medical professional tell them to “try yoga” after coming in with a host of physical symptoms. 

5 fascinating examples of the mind-body connection

So, how does the mind-body connection shape our health? What does the research say? There are too many examples out there to count but here are a few cool ones. 

The gut-brain axis

Ever notice how much we talk about the gut in relation to our emotions? You get a gut feeling about somebody, you’re gutted by a breakup, you go with your gut when making a tough call. Turns out, there’s actually science behind that. The gut-brain axis is the two-way communication stream between your brain and your digestive system, Dr. Gasteiger explains (largely through a big nerve called the vagus nerve). In fact, more information gets exchanged between the brain and gut than any other system, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

In case you haven’t noticed, stress, anxiety, and depression can all affect your digestion, Dr. Gasteiger says. Meanwhile, imbalances in the gut microbiome (the community of healthy microorganisms living in your intestines) can influence your mood and mental health. Research also shows that people with IBS are at much higher risk for anxiety and depression—and that the conditions might even share some underlying causes. 

Skin and mood 

Anyone who’s ever dealt with bad acne—or just an ill-timed volcanic zit—knows your skin can affect your mood. But have you ever noticed you’re also more likely to break out (or have a skin condition flare up) after an especially chaotic week? 

The skin is so connected to the mind that there’s a whole field called psychodermatology (psychology + dermatology). Conditions like acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis are all linked to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, according to research. And stress has been shown to make skin symptoms worse. The good news? Mental health interventions like therapy have been shown to help skin symptoms or flare-ups that may be exacerbated by stress. (Scientists think this has to do with the complex connections between your nervous system, hormones, immune system, and skin.)

The placebo effect 

One of the weirdest examples of the mind-body connection is the placebo effect. When you see a doctor and get medication, you generally expect to feel better, right? The placebo effect is the idea that this alone—simply believing a treatment will work—can actually make you feel better, Dr. Gasteiger explains. 

We’ve got tons of hard proof this is true. Researchers test out new drugs by giving one group of people the real medication and one group of people a sugar pill (without telling them which one they’re getting). By seeing how much the people on the real drug improve compared to the people taking the placebo, scientists can tease out the effects of the drug itself from the placebo effect.

Amazingly, researchers often find that a good number of the people who take nothing but a sugar pill get some relief. Placebos have resulted in improvements in conditions like high blood pressure, chronic pain, allergies, migraine, nausea, and chronic itchiness from skin conditions. One review looking at 186 clinical trials (including 16,655 people) found that, on average, the placebo response accounted for about half of the overall effect of a treatment. 

It’s not just your mind playing tricks on you either. Placebos have been shown to trigger real, measurable changes in your body, Dr. Gasteiger says—like the release of its own opioids (natural painkillers). So it’s possible that if you believe a new stretching or movement routine is going to help your mood, it really might. 

The role of mindset in healing 

The placebo effect is just one example of how your thoughts and beliefs can influence your health. Here’s another: Being optimistic about your recovery from an illness or injury can enhance the healing process, Dr. Gasteiger says. A review of 30 studies, totaling 28,741 people with musculoskeletal pain (like back pain, whiplash, or a leg injury), found that those who had low expectations about their recovery were over twice as likely to later be on disability leave from work than people who had high expectations for their recovery. 

Even your perception of time can influence the healing process. In one small study, the rate of wound healing was influenced by how much time a person believed had passed. Researchers had people receive cupping therapy (which causes bruise-like marks), and then left them alone in a room with a clock for 28 minutes. For a third of the people, the clock was rigged to run at half speed—so they thought only 14 minutes had passed. For another third, the clock was rigged to run twice as fast as real time, so they thought 56 minutes had passed. (The final third had normal-running clocks.) The results? The researchers actually saw improved wound healing in the groups that thought more time had passed. 

The stress and relaxation response 

Mental and emotional stressors can cause your body to release hormones that trigger a “fight-or-flight” response, explains the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure go up; your muscles get tense. That can be tough on your body and brain—especially when it becomes chronic, Dr. Park says. “When you’re always in the stress response… it’s hard to function, it’s hard to be healthy.” As a result, chronic stress plays a role in causing or worsening a bunch of conditions (including many of the ones we’ve mentioned). 

Thankfully, we also have the relaxation response (phew!), which helps to counter the stress response. “Everything comes down,” Dr. Park explains: your heart rate, your blood pressure, your stress hormones, and your risk of exacerbating physical symptoms. You can bring on this relaxation response through a variety of mind-body strategies, Dr. Park says. You can try things like breathing exercises, a body scan like progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, gentle movement, and guided imagery. By directing your breath, muscles, awareness, or imagination, you can shift the state of your mind and body. 

According to the NCCIH, research shows techniques that elicit the relaxation response can be helpful for a wide variety of health conditions. For example, breathing exercises and clinical hypnosis can reduce hot flashes. Progressive muscle relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing may help manage IBS symptoms. Guided imagery can benefit people with arthritis pain. And various relaxation techniques may decrease nausea and vomiting in people undergoing chemotherapy.

No, it’s not “all in your head.” 

So, hang on a minute… Does all this mean you’re basically making your health problems up? That if you just thought more positively or went for enough mental health walks, you wouldn’t be sick? That it’s “all in your head,” as people say? Not even close. 

“The phrase ‘it’s all in your head’ implies that some symptoms and health problems are imaginary, which can feel very dismissive,” Dr. Gasteiger says. Recognizing the importance of the mind-body connection doesn’t make your symptoms any less real or valid, Dr. Park says. On the contrary, understanding the role of the mind deepens our understanding of those symptoms and helps us appreciate the many dimensions of well-being. “It’s a great reminder of how complex the human body is, and the profound ways our psychological states can shape our physical health,” says Dr. Gasteiger. In reality, the mind-body connection should motivate and empower you to take better care of your mind, Dr. Park says—to watch those negative thought spirals, lean into optimism where you can, get the support and treatment you need, and engage in whatever self-care practices help you manage stress. And, similarly, it should remind you of all the ways your body (and the way you move it and treat it) can impact your mental health too.

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12 Ways to Get All the Mental Health Benefits of Exercise Without Ever Joining a Gym

If the thought of ellipticals and barbells stresses you out, here are some surprising alternatives. ByAnna Borges

Let’s face it: The gym isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (or protein shake), whether you can’t afford the membership or just hate to go. Luckily for us gym naysayers, there are plenty of other ways to tap into the incredible mental benefits of movement. 

What are those benefits? As you’ve probably heard, exercise triggers the release of endorphins, those feel-good chemicals in your brain that can boost your mood. Regular physical activity has also been linked to sharper focus and better emotional regulation—skills that can make the days a little easier, especially when you’re already going through it.   

All that said, the real key to reaping those rewards is finding a movement practice you’ll actually do. And, for most humans, that means something you’ll actually like. To give you some ideas, we asked people to share a physical activity they fell in love with. If you’re ready to skip the gym but still cultivate some mental wellness, here are a few ways to get your body moving or your blood pumping.

1. Whip out the jump rope. 

“I’m an internal medicine resident full time, and some days I come home from the hospital unable to move from the mental exhaustion. The jump rope lets me work out whenever, wherever—including in my living room. I haven’t gotten fancy like any of the Instagram jump ropers, but I hope to someday. It helps to connect with things that let me feel less routined and more like a kid again.” —Hania Mumta, 30

2. Shake it on the dance floor.

“Being regularly active is a struggle for me. I work from home and don’t have a gym membership. Haven’t taken a dance class in years. But my favorite way to get the exercise my body and mind desperately crave is dancing! At home, out at the one gay bar in my town, and at popup dance parties.” —Ames B., 31

3. Channel your inner Legolas.  

“I didn’t expect to ever have a chance to get into archery, even though it absolutely fits the general nerd vibe I give off. But after gathering a few of my fellow nerd friends to give it a shot, I became hooked. There’s something about the idea of just trying to be better than you were the last time you were at the range that appeals to me. It’s definitely worth the soreness in my lats and the tingle in my fingers from drawing back the bowstring. Getting to feel like an extra in a Lord of the Rings movie doesn’t hurt either.” —Hayes Brown, 36

4. Or pick up another ancient tool. 

“I’ve been taking classes on 17th-century rapier and 15th-century longsword for almost 10 years. It’s been an amazing experience, not only as exercise but in finding community and growing as a person. I thought this was going to be just a fun little class I took for a few weeks, and instead, it’s been nearly a decade of my life. Not every group out there is going to be as open-minded, accepting, and queer-friendly as the group I’m a part of, but I feel blessed to have found the one I did.” —Daniel Laloggia, 43

5. Go for a classic run.  

“My favorite exercise is running. It strengthens my body, clears my mind, and helps me regain my focus. I love that running is a therapeutic outlet for me and that I can go at my own pace. I don’t pressure myself to run fast; instead, I just like to get out there and move.” —Alyshia Hull, 26

6. Or take a mindful walk.  

“I walk around my neighborhood and the lake at night and look at all the evening animals in Florida—bats waking up, birds that are nesting down, frogs calling to each other, the scream of the cicada. It doesn’t feel like I’m exercising or anything; it’s more like an immersive experience in nature that keeps my brain occupied and gets me excited.” —Kristen Arnett, 43

7. Hop on a stair stepper at home.

“I actually like traditional gym workouts (love me an elliptical!), but my senior dog has developed severe separation anxiety, and I’m no longer able to leave him alone in my apartment when I go to the gym. I still wanted to be somewhat active, so I was influenced by TikTok to try one of those mini stepper machines, and I surprisingly loved it! I use it nearly every day, either throughout the day when I work from home or after I get home from the office as I watch an episode of whatever show I’m bingeing. Since it’s just out in my living room, there’s no mental barrier of having to get dressed and go to a second location to work out.” —Amy Fowler, 30

8. Step into a virtual reality. 

“I found gamifying fitness really helped me move more in a variety of different ways. The headset I use tracks how many calories I burn and how long I play, plus gives me weekly challenges. Even the games that aren’t marketed as fitness games often get me up and moving around more than a seated flat-screen game would. It’s great to just escape into a game, and I’m getting both gaming and the gym in one budget.” —Russ R., 33

“Beat Saber in VR. Playing that on hard mode for 45 minutes is actually a good little workout, and it doesn’t at all feel like one because it’s so fun!” —Katie M., 33

9. Switch up your commute. 

“Commuting to places by bike is great. I can’t get myself to go on a ride just for the fun of it, but if I have to get there some way and the weather is good, biking gets my heart rate up and the happy brain juices flowing.” —Ben Wills, 32

10. Scale the nearest wall.

“I love indoor climbing—especially bouldering. It’s playful, social, and engaging. I get to run around and chat with lots of folks at my climbing wall. There’s a lot of time spent hanging around and solving problems with friends and strangers. And while there are fun and interesting challenges whatever your level or mood, it doesn’t have to be competitive. It’s really fun!” —Alice Coleman, 29

11. Paddle it out.

“I love kayaking INCREDIBLY casually. Almost every kayak I’ve ever been in was rented to me by a group of confused high school students and one token adult who rounded them all up to run a free kayaking program. But once I’m on the water, baby, not a single concern crosses my mind. I can be rowing in a tiny bay, picking up garbage with my paddle while I sing ‘trash fishing’ quietly to myself. I can row for a good hour in uneven circles. It clears my head. No phones. No gym fluorescent lights. Just me, several other amateur kayakers, and probably a sunburn. And then I get ice cream.” —Anne J., 31

“I learned to row crew at 50 years of age. I now exercise outdoors on the water multiple times a week around sunrise with club members who have become great friends. Rowing in a crew means I have to turn up. Exercising early means I start the day with energy and gratitude. It’s vigorous exercise; I’ve never been fitter. I found my ‘thing.’” —Helen B., 56

12. Stretch wherever works for you. 

“Sometimes I stretch on the couch that I’m lying on. I have one of those IKEA L-couches with an extendable section that basically makes it into a bed. I have chronic pain in all of my major joints, but my knees are especially rough. When my pain is bad, I lay there and do what I describe to my friends as ‘weird stretches in the air.’ I lie on my back on the couch, put my legs above me so I’m at a 90-degree angle, and then start bending my knees so I look like a Tetris piece. It’s weird, but it helps a lot. Sometimes, my knees make weird grinding sounds. Sometimes, they don’t.” —E. Scherzinger, 30

Quotes have been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

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How to Find a Movement Practice That Actually Brings You Joy

Exercise should be an act of self-love—not a chore you absolutely dread. ByAmy Marturana Winderl

You hear it all the time: Movement makes you feel good! Sad? Go for a mental health walk. Anxious? Get some exercise. Lonely? Join a run club. But if you’ve never been the person who enjoys getting sweaty and breathless, you might feel like this advice seriously misses the mark. Here’s the thing: Movement really can do wonders for your mental health—but not if you’re miserable doing it. That’s why finding something that you actually enjoy is clutch.  

You’re certainly not alone if you’ve been wanting to exercise more but don’t really know where to start. According to ASICS’ Move Her Mind Global Study, which surveyed 24,772 people across 40 countries, 51% of women are dissatisfied with their current exercise levels and are not exercising as much as they would like to. At the same time, women who do exercise regularly report feeling happier, more confident, more energized, less stressed, and less frustrated. (Endorphins, man!) 

But just going for a run or joining a gym isn’t guaranteed to boost your mood. “You want it to be something that you don’t have to do but something you look forward to,” says licensed clinical psychologist Nina Polyné, PsyD, Wondermind Advisory Committee member. 

So, if you’ve ever heard someone talking about how psyched they are for their workout and wondered “lol wut?” this one’s for you. Here are a few expert tips for finding a movement practice that actually brings you joy.

Take a values-focused approach.

The right type of movement for you is going to be something that aligns with your values and interests, Dr. Polyné says. So, think about those things first, and then try out some forms of movement that could align. “For instance, if you love dance and music, try out a dance class. If your values are centered around spirituality, look for some kind of spiritual movement like yoga or tai chi,” Dr. Polyné says. “Starting at the ground level of values will help you find what really lights you up.”

This also means considering the social aspect of exercise. Are you extroverted and community-oriented, or would you prefer to exercise solo? If you’re taking a group class, do you prefer a competitive environment or something more chill? That can help you narrow down important aspects of your routine—maybe finding a crew to exercise with is critical for maximizing your joy, or simply heading to the yoga studio early to chit-chat is what you need to fully fill your cup. 

It’s also not a bad idea to think about your motivation. What are you looking to get out of a movement practice? Do you want to improve your physical health? Do you want to connect more with your body and feel stronger and more confident? Do you want a healthy outlet to blow off some steam? Maybe you just want to do something for yourself—and there’s no shame in that! “Finding your motivation will really help you stay inspired,” Dr. Polyné says. 

Think about what’s actually realistic for you.

According to the ASICS study, the most common barriers preventing women from exercising as much as they’d like included too many other commitments, lack of time, and cost. Relatable! So, look for something that is convenient (in terms of both location and time) and affordable. Removing as many hurdles as possible will make it easier to feel like movement adds to your life instead of taking away. 

Dr. Polyné also suggests getting out in front of any other potential barriers. “People don’t usually want to think about what can go wrong because it will deter them, but planning ahead helps you be more confident,” she explains. For example, maybe you really, really want to go for a mindful walk every day, but you live in Seattle, where it rains a lot. If that’s the movement that brings you joy, figure out a plan B that you can turn to on days when the weather is not cooperating. Maybe that means walking at your tread desk or doing a stationary bike ride while listening to a meditation. Whatever it is, making sure your movement practice fits into your life means being prepared for those roadblocks that are likely to come up.

Pay attention to how you feel as you move.

When you’re trying out a new type of exercise, Dr. Polyné suggests paying close attention to how your body is responding to it. That’ll clue you into whether or not that movement is the right one for you. Is your body tense? Are you ruminating or running through your to-do list over and over instead of focusing your thoughts in the present? Do you feel constricted or self-conscious? Are you counting down the minutes until you can leave the class?

“Those are signs you’re not doing something that lights you up,” Dr. Polyné says. “You want to stay focused on activities that keep you in the present moment.” Maybe that’s a mindful walk, a run, a yoga flow, or a challenging HIIT class. It’ll be different for every person, and simply tuning into your mind and body and reflecting after you’re done is one of the best ways to figure out what’s right for you. 

Show yourself compassion and grace.

The truth is that you may try some movement practices and think, Wow, this really isn’t for me. And that’s totally fine. Just because your friend loves running doesn’t mean you’re going to love it too. If that happens, show yourself compassion and give yourself permission to let it go and try something else, Dr. Polyné says. There’s nothing wrong with you if you don’t like running (or boxing or yoga or whatever it may be); not everyone will.

Similarly, if you’re interested in a form of movement but you’re having a hard time getting into it or feeling like you’re not catching on quickly and getting frustrated, try to be patient, Dr. Polyné adds. “It takes a good 60 trials of something new in order for it to stick,” she says. If you jog for a week and don’t feel inspired because you didn’t make the progress you wanted to, know that sometimes it does take time. So don’t assume you could never be a pilates girlie just because you face-planted on the reformer the first time you tried. It happens to the best of us… 

But if you really hate something from the start, don’t be afraid to ditch it and move onto the next thing without looking back. Life’s too short to waste time doing exercise that feels like a chore. “You’re taking time away from your responsibilities and spending time on you, and that’s a big part of self-love,” Dr. Polyné says. “Doing something that brings you joy and not apologizing for it is an act of self-love. And you deserve it.”

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15 Surprising Ways to Get Out of a Funk

You got this. ByAmy Marturana Winderl

Everybody has those days: When you just feel downright blah and can’t figure out how to snap out of it. You’re not depressed or dealing with any other specific mental health concern; you’re just in an absolute funk. If anyone needs you, they can find you lying around and sulking for the foreseeable future.

Sometimes, if you really sit and reflect, you can pinpoint the culprits contributing to your down-in-the-dumps mood. Burnout, feeling stuck in a dead-end job, relationship woes, being far from loved ones, and carrying a crushing weight of responsibilities on your shoulders are all biggies, says clinical psychologist Marilisa Morea, PsyD, owner and director of Monarch Therapy and Wellness Center in Thornhill, Ontario. Other times, it may seem like you’ve got no reason to feel like garbage—yet, you just do. 

This emotional state is a very normal reaction to the human experience, says therapist Siobhan D. Flowers, PhD, LPC-S, an adjunct professor at New York University. “A funk can be difficult to snap out of because it’s something that usually feels uncomfortable for most people, so they would rather just avoid or distract themselves from the feeling altogether, which actually prolongs getting out of it.” 

So, what can you do to take back control and shoo away those rain clouds above your head? Dr. Flowers suggests first taking a cue from nature and reminding yourself that this, too, shall pass. “We have different seasons for a reason—nothing blooms year round, and that includes ourselves. This can serve as a simple reminder to yourself that your season of being in a funk is temporary and will change to something more favorable in due time.”

Then, try one of these creative suggestions from experts and real people who found ways to pull themselves out of a funk.  

1. Start by taking care of just your basic needs.

“Check in on the basics first when you are feeling low or meh. A few things to ask yourself: Have you been getting enough sleep? Are you paying attention to your feelings? Are you nourishing yourself with healthy, energizing foods and are you moving your body? If we haven’t been paying attention to our physical and mental health, we can start to feel the funk.” —Babita Spinelli, LP, licensed psychotherapist and psychoanalyst

2. Do literally anything else.

“My natural tendency when I’m down is to go inward or to impulsively do feel-good things, like eat, drink, or shop. What I do now is embrace the suck of whatever the situation may be and force myself to pause. Then I just make a change. I might go for a walk or a run, or take an unscheduled break and meet up with a friend for something fun and creative. Or I’ll listen to a short mediation through the Peloton app or do a short ride. If I am at the coworking space, I’ll chat with someone. It’s all about a change of pace or a change of scenery. Even better if sunlight is an option. ” —Ruth F., 57

3. Just move.

“Movement for me encourages aligning my mind and body in the present moment. I’ve practiced (and ignored) this for so many years and the majority of the time, when I’m feeling stuck, frustrated, tired, or ‘meh’ and I move (especially outdoors) I feel more in tune with myself, light but more grounded, less reactive, and a sense of connection overall.” —July Z., 43

4. Reflect on the good.

“I keep a gratitude journal at work that I write in occasionally. When I’m not feeling great, I write down three things I’m grateful for and it really does help to perk me up and put me in a more positive headspace.” —Jillian G., 34

5. Have an anti-funk playlist.

“I have a couple of playlists of songs that put me in a good mood, so when I’m feeling down, I play one of those. The first is more pump-up fancy (think: Bastille, Katy Perry), and the second is more like ‘I wanna rock like a baby and belt out the songs’ (think: Hozier, Vance Joy).” —Julie M., 33

6. Go on a solo coffee date.

“My college friends and I always said that going out for a cup of coffee was about the experience, not so much the coffee. That still rings true for me today. I often grab a coffee after I drop my son at school, before I begin the work day, or if we’re home I go out to grab a cup before sitting back down to focus. I also used to do this midday if I needed a break before coming back to my desk. It gets me up and out, and it’s a little ‘me’ time—something I’m doing just for myself—amidst the chaos of my day that’s often focused around everyone else. I find it as an opportunity to take a break and then get back to work, or take a break and reflect on whatever I might be dealing with that day.” —Kerry H., 32

7. Shift your focus to others.

“I recommend not making your funk about you. This can be done by shifting your focus outward towards volunteering, donating something to those in need, or otherwise reflecting on how you can feel a feeling—without being the feeling. Taking an active approach to ‘externalize’ your feelings (without avoiding them) makes it much less likely that you will remain in the downward momentum of a funk for very long.” —Dr. Flowers

8. Head straight to the massage table. Do not pass go.

“When I’m feeling blah, I take myself for a massage at a no-frills location. I think it’s $50 for an hour massage that literally melts my stress away (for one hour at least).” —Zoe B., 33

9. Host a low-effort gathering.

“Inviting friends over for something fun and different always helps shake me out of a funk. That might mean having people over for lunch and getting out the dishes and glassware I never use, throwing a dessert-only party, or hosting a pizza night where each person or couple brings their favorite pizza and everyone gets to take home a takeout container with leftovers. I like finding ways to have low-effort get-togethers when everyone just needs to get out!” —Jayne N., 65

10. Reorganize or redecorate.

“Sometimes you just need to mix things up. Give your space a new paint job, declutter, organize, and put out things that offer calm and inspiration. Put away or get rid of things that keep you stuck in the past or are taking up unnecessary space. Releasing old things that might be holding you back lets you allow for new and more positive things to enter your space.” —Dr. Morea

11. Cry it out.

“I listened to a podcast a few months ago about how important it is to allow yourself to feel your feelingsq, and I’ve had a few emotionally charged moments recently. I decided during the last few to just let myself feel the thing all the way through to crying, or whatever physical thing I needed. Usually it’s high-energy cardio or other physical exertion, but the last time I just opened up to feeling the sadness and the tears came. I always feel better after crying and allowing myself to fully process an emotion.” —Lauren A., 36

12. Get outside, preferably near a body of water.

“Being outdoors and breathing fresh air increases serotonin and can help get us out of a funk. It also provides perspective that there is something bigger and more powerful. Being in nature also has a calming effect on the mind and body. Walking on the beach, swimming in a body of water, or even just watching the waves is also very therapeutic and can shift our mood. I love to take long walks by the ocean while listening to my favorite songs if I find myself in a bit of a funk.” —Spinelli

13. Sauna, hydrate, repeat.

“Often when I’m stressed or feeling overwhelmed I’ll spend the Sunday at my favorite day spa where I’ll start off with the lower temperature saunas and work my way up—doing intervals of 10 to 15 minutes in the sauna and then 30 minutes of relaxing, reading a book, and hydrating. I’ll cycle through five to six times throughout the day. The combination of sweating and relaxing makes me just feel so good and refreshed. Also, I always sleep like a baby that night.” —Elie O., 33

14. Do a tech detox.

“For me to truly take a break, I have to turn everything off. As a small business owner I’m literally always on, and it can be draining to maintain. If I’m relaxing after dinner and watching a movie, I’m checking my emails (I’m sure others are guilty of this). So whenever I feel stressed or anxious, I intentionally block time off in my calendar and my mind as a time to be offline. I basically will just use my phone for the alarm and then try to leave it in another room for the day or the weekend. If I can’t do a full day, I’ll do a morning or evening, and it gives me the opportunity that I need to reset. It always feels so great and makes me want to trade it all in for a beeper or snail mail.” —Meagan C., 33

15. Try something that scares you a little. 

“Doing something wildly out of my comfort zone always helps me snap out of a funk. Some past examples include: taking a pilates reformer class that almost broke me, painting a piece of furniture with zero DIY experience, booking a solo trip (and going zip-lining through the jungle on said trip). Whatever it is, even if I end up hating it or being bad at it, I still get a sense of satisfaction out of trying something that I normally would shy away from. It’s a great way to remind yourself that you can do hard things.” —Casey G., 35 

The post 15 Surprising Ways to Get Out of a Funk appeared first on Wondermind.

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Why Valarie Allman Didn’t Feel So Golden After the Olympics

“I just don't think I was prepared for what it felt like to be a top dog.” BySam Brodsky

Not many people feel the euphoric pride of being a top-performing athlete on the highest (and we mean HIGHEST) level. Valarie Allman knows, though. She knows because she won the Olympic discus gold medal in summer 2021 and, almost one year later, claimed the first discus medal for American women in World Championship history (a bronze). She also holds the U.S. record for farthest throw in women’s discus. 

But intense lows can come crashing in after those highs, Allman tells Wondermind. She says she wasn’t prepared for how down she became following the Olympics. For Allman, much of it stemmed from the pressure to live up to that gold medal—and the fear of not doing so. It took a year to get out of that dark place.

FYI, Allman isn’t alone in her experience. A number of Olympic and Paralympic athletes we’ve previously spoken to have said the same thing about the post-Games blues (see: Dani Aravich, Brenna Huckaby, and Gabby Thomas). 

While she’s living in a better mental space now, Allman is the first to admit that she’s still working on keeping disappointments from weighing heavily on her. As she gears up for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, she’s trying to take a beat and enjoy her competitions pressure-free. 

Here, the ASICS athlete talks to Wondermind about overcoming rocky self-confidence, finding her footing after the Olympics, and learning to celebrate accomplishments without next-big-thing worries. 

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WM: How are you doing lately?

Valarie Allman: Overall, I would say that I’m doing well. For me, it’s actually really interesting doing this interview at this time of year because it’s right before my season’s about to start, and it’s after a long period of just putting in work and hoping that it’s going to show itself in a material way when that first meet comes up. So normally I’m feeling a lot of anxiety during this time, but I feel proud of the work that I’ve put in. I feel much more prepared than normal at this time, which feels really good to be able to say.

WM: What was it like adjusting to all of that increased attention post Olympics?

VA: In sport, I feel like the Olympics is one of those words that you say and people get really excited and they want to talk about it, and winning the Olympics is something I’m really proud of. But, truthfully, I wasn’t quite ready to win in a lot of ways. I wasn’t prepared for what comes with something like that—people’s joy and excitement they have that they can’t help but express to you. You know what I mean? As an introvert, it was hard for me to always be open to putting myself out there and talking about the experiences, and I wasn’t prepared for how much people would be wanting to share in that. And I think I kind of weirdly interpreted that as putting even more pressure on myself for 2022, which, looking back, was so silly to do. 

I should have just enjoyed that more and used it as a positive memento heading to the next year. But I took it as like: Oh my gosh, there’s more people following along. I want to put up better results. I want to do something even more spectacular. And I think that kind of took over, and feeling an awareness of people wanting to be part of the journey was really hard to accept. But being on the other side of facing adversity and feeling, in the moment, that the [World] bronze medal was maybe a letdown, now I say it’s a rose gold medal. I’ve come to some good growth about it. It’s made it a lot easier just to be able to talk openly to people and recognize it is a journey, and that’s what makes it so special, not just trying to win, not just being on top.

WM: How are you able to celebrate in the moment and not automatically look to the future?

VA: I’m really actually trying to work on all three things: How do I gain confidence and joy from things that have happened? How do I be as in the moment as I can to really take advantage of the things that are happening? And how do I also plan for the future to look forward to an event and be excited about it rather than stressed? … If I’m traveling to a new place, finding a restaurant I’m super excited [about] or having a family member come along—something that makes it feel like more than just that athletic data point—has made kind of the three elements of time feel better and makes it easier to find joy in different events that are happening.

When you spend so much time on the road or in a routine or working so hard, being able to share whatever the outcome is, good or bad, with the people you really care about the most just ends up adding a lot more meaning. So, for me, bringing home with me is something that’s really, really important.

WM: During competition, do you focus on emotions that you’re feeling or do you try to tune those out?

VA: I think it’s a bit of both. It’s impossible not to have good and bad thoughts. This last year, I definitely dealt with a lot of competition anxiety of feeling like I needed to live up to winning the Olympics and just needing to perform well and not be a failure, which took away from the excitement of preparing for competition and having that excited, ready-to-go-after-it feeling. … I think when I’m at my best, I’m aware of the nervous tension I have. I’m aware of the excitement that’s in my body, but, ideally, you try to do things that make you feel grounded. What are the songs you like to listen to? Who are the people you want to surround yourself [with]? Do I want to go for a walk to clear my head? How can I create that ideal energy where I feel definitely charged but in control?

WM: You wrote in an IG post that “it’s easy to let one meet really take a toll on your self-confidence.” How do you deal with that?

VA: It’s a good question, and I feel like I’m still working through a lot of these things. In my personal journey, I graduated college and the pandemic happened. I dove really, really into working hard and pursuing this passion. I won the Olympics, and I definitely didn’t quite know how to view myself last year. I figured it out but didn’t feel satisfied about it. And now, this year, I’m trying to use all this experience [to see] how I can be just more stable. How can I make the highs still feel really enjoyable and positive but not as high and the lows not feel as low? How can I show up and be prepared for the good and the bad, and then also walk into the next day and still feel grounded and content and more certain of who I am rather than still being affected by those performances? I think anytime you pour your time, your identity, your energy into something you really care about and it doesn’t go well, you do have to give yourself space to process that.

But I think you have to be able to, then, recognize the only way to move forward is to get yourself excited about the next thing and figure out how to turn that pain or that thing I wish would’ve been different into a learning experience. What I’ve tried to do is really surround important events with a perimeter of people that I love or things that I really care about so it feels like more than just that one data point and also letting myself feel proud of giving my all, even if it didn’t go exactly as I was hoping.

WM: When your confidence on the field falters, does that impact your confidence in yourself outside of sports?

VA: Totally. It’s tough. … Nowadays, I’ve intentionally chosen a pretty unbalanced life to really try to be the best in the world at something. And when things aren’t going well, the small piece of the pie that isn’t in that, it’s impossible for it not to be affected. For me, that is a big challenge of: How can I have one consistent identity, not athlete Valarie and normal-person Valarie? I just want to be Valarie and I work really hard at my job and I also have a fulfilled life that I’m proud of. But it’s easy to get so consumed with pursuing a dream, pursuing a goal, and letting your scale get really off. … I think it can be pretty jarring and feel pretty isolating when you hit a rough patch and you look around and realize how much you’ve given towards a goal. 

WM: So what are you most proud of outside of athletics?

VA: Oh my gosh, what a tough question [laughs]. I think that does show that this is really something I’m trying to work on. I really try to pride myself in being a great friend and a great family member. I think those relationships are things that are super [important] to me, [like] being a good dog mom. I think those connections are really what I’ve tried to pour myself into.

WM: What is the hardest thing mentally that you’ve ever had to go through?

VA: The Olympics has definitely been the hardest thing I’ve gone through. If I get emotional, I’m sorry, but it really was really hard. It really was really hard. It felt so  good to accomplish something that you worked so hard for, but then I think I was so caught off guard by just feeling so sad after and not knowing why. And something about everyone expecting me to be so happy and those emotions not feeling authentic was just really, really challenging to work through. I think it took over so much of how I viewed myself, which was really difficult even though it was something so good, but for some reason it didn’t feel very good. I don’t know. I don’t know if it just became the concept of feeling like I had to live up to it or [not knowing] what [to] accomplish next, but it just was really, really hard.

WM: Thank you for sharing. Do you remember how long it took you to get out of that headspace? 

VA: It was, honestly, this last fall. It took a full year. Because I think I wanted to fill that hole, and there’s something really therapeutic about getting into the same routine that I was doing before the Olympics, but I don’t think I was actually healing, which was the hard part. So, in a lot of ways, it was pretty liberating to not win World Championships because whatever self-imposed pressure I was putting on myself felt gone, which was really nice. 

I really, really loved this narrative I created in my head of being the underdog. It was so fun to be the one on the rise and to be chasing the people in my sport that always had been on the top. And I just don’t think I was prepared for what it felt like to be a top dog. The truth is, I think the fear of losing is so much more intense than actually losing. You lose a meet, you see the people you love, there’s a tomorrow—that part wasn’t actually difficult. But for months [when] something was coming up, [I felt like] if I didn’t win, [it] would dramatically change how I viewed myself or [it would] make me an imposter for winning the Olympics. 

All of this was self-imposed, right? Everyone in my life really was just supportive and encouraging. I just made this up that if I couldn’t do it again, it made me less credible, which I think was hard. But it was really in the fall that I felt more free, which felt so good. 

Obviously the next Olympics is coming up, and I think it’s been really good to have to work through this and recognize that so much changes in three years. Just because you win one Olympics does not mean you’re going to win the next one. And the funny thing is when people ask you about the Olympics, they’re like, “Oh, are you going for the next one? Go for gold!” And it’s really hard to go for gold, let me tell you, people. It is so  hard to go for gold. But I commend any athlete or any person who goes after something that is a big, big thing that they’re trying to chase. 

WM: What were some of the things that helped you get into a better headspace?

VA: It was a combination of time and people. … There was so much Covid testing, facilities were closed, and it didn’t feel possible to get together with friends during those times. Even the next year, I was trying to recreate that same routine and it just led to feeling pretty isolated, which was hard. So I think the reset led to me hanging out with friends again and doing more balance things: FaceTiming the people that I really care about, meeting up with friends at the dog park, talking with my coach about a lot of these emotions [all] made those identities of human Valarie and athlete Valarie really start merging together.

I really didn’t think I was going to get emotional. With people I’m close to, I’ve had this conversation so many times, and it’s just confusing. I think that’s the hard thing. And that’s just a testament to taking care of your mental health. A lot of times when you’re struggling, it does feel irrational or hard to understand, but that’s exactly why it’s so good to find the right people or get support or get help because it doesn’t need to make sense. You just need to be able to work through it and find the resources to help you understand it for yourself.

WM: Outside of preparing for the next Olympics, what are your goals for 2023?

VA: I really want to enjoy the season. I do have a desire to take in all the opportunities and competitions and travel and everything that comes with choosing this profession. I just want to be the best version of myself I can. I think I lost that a bit. When I’ve felt most proud, it is when I’m just comparing myself to myself, and I want to feel like I gave it my all and I’m proud of whatever that looks like.

WM: How has your view of mental health changed throughout your career and life?

VA: I have come to realize that my body will always follow my brain, which has just made me have such great respect and way more appreciation for putting effort and care into protecting and working on my mental health. I used to believe that training physically was really all you needed to be prepared for competing well as an athlete. But so much of it is how you talk to yourself and the lens [through which] you think about what you’re doing. And your thoughts can very, very quickly turn into feelings and then turn into actions. You have to just give yourself space to make sure that you feel good about the headspace you’re in and try to be intentional about working on your mental health.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

The post Why Valarie Allman Didn’t Feel So Golden After the Olympics appeared first on Wondermind.