Why Your Mental State Affects Physical Healing
Your body is always listening, especially to how you speak to yourself
When something hurts or isn’t working quite right, it’s easy to zoom straight in on the physical bit. The sore shoulder. The flare-up. The fatigue that just won’t lift. But let me share something - healing isn’t a solo act. It isn’t happening in a separate room, away from your thoughts and emotions. It’s more like a house party, and the mind, body, and nervous system are all in the same room, responding to the same music, all dancing together, if you will, and how the room feels actually matters.
Think of your nervous system as the body’s security system and gatekeeper. When it senses danger, which could be stress, worry, pressure, or fear, it flips into protection mode. Doors close, lights dim, repairs get postponed. Not because the body doesn’t want to heal, but because it’s busy keeping you safe. When things feel calmer, supported, and steady, this is when the security system relaxes. We fling open the doors and windows again to let the fresh air and light in, maintenance resumes, and healing gets the green light. And here’s the kicker - your mental state helps decide which mode you’re in.
It’s All Connected
Your mental state may well help decide which mode you’re in, but this is not “all in your head”, and it isn’t about positive thinking or blaming yourself for being unwell. We don’t need to add another problem to the pile, and begin to shame ourselves. But everything is connected. If we look at relatively new emerging modern science, it shows us that stress changes the body’s chemistry, our hormones shift, inflammation in our body rises, and our immune responses have a bit of a wobble. Our body starts acting like it’s under threat because, to the nervous system, it is. So listen, our thoughts and emotions aren’t just background noise, they’re signals.
Imagine trying to do home repairs while the fire alarm is blaring. That’s what healing under chronic stress feels like - trying to do house renovations during a fire. The body keeps hearing “emergency” and simply cannot focus on repair. Our muscles stay tense, digestion slows, sleep gets lighter and more disruptive, and pain sticks around longer than it should. But the body isn’t broken, it’s just responding to the alarm. It’s responding normally, and naturally, to keep you safe.
Safety
Healing happens best when the body feels safe enough to soften - safety is the secret ingredient. So, how do we feel safe in our bodies? Practices like gentle yoga, breathwork, meditation, mindful movement, and energy work help turn the volume down on the alarm system. They remind the body: you’re okay right now, and once the body believes that, healing has somewhere to land. Hey presto.
One of the most powerful things you can do for healing is simply listen. This can be such a challenging thing to do in our busy lives - and you may initially think taking a moment is probably just a waste of time. But listening really changes everything. We’re not talking about interrogation, nor fixing, but simply, just noticing - creating an awareness of your within. Maybe you sense a tight jaw, or your breath turning shallow. You could feel a tired heaviness in the chest. This kind of listening, called interoception, is like learning the body’s language. Wonderful right? When we listen, and begin to understand how our body communicates with us, we begin to respond earlier, with gentle compassion, and the body knows it doesn’t have to shout any longer.
Emotional “Weather”
What is also important to note, is that our body responds differently depending on the emotional “weather” happening inside, so what I’m saying here is that your internal environment really does matter. When you’re calm, it can feel like a sunny afternoon and things move easily, we flow with life, we feel bright and breezy, and compassion feels like a warm protective blanket. However, when we experience fear, it can feel like we’re on high alert and bracing for a tremendous storm. The beauty of this, is that it’s easy to remember. Healing prefers fair weather, as we all do (although to be honest, I do also love a hunker down and hyggeligt during a winter storm), but it doesn’t demand that we are perfect, and that every moment should be “fair weather.'“ Remember, even small pockets of calm can make a huge difference.
So we know that traditional, allopathic medical care matters, but also, so does rest, regulation, emotional support, and kindness toward ourselves. Healing isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing what supports the whole system. When mind and body are working together, things begin to flow again.
A Small Practice to Try
Pause for a moment.
Put one hand on your body - anywhere that feels natural.
Take one slow breath.
Ask quietly: What would help right now?
No pressure to answer. Just asking is enough to change the tone.
Final Thoughts: Talk to Your Body Like It’s on Your Side
Your body isn’t stubborn, and it isn’t failing you. It’s actually doing the best it can with the information it’s receiving. When your mental state softens, your body often follows. When you offer safety instead of urgency, healing feels less like a battle and more like a conversation.
Healing happens more easily when the whole system feels welcome