Physical

Why physical health is important to your quality of life

You may have noticed that your physical health can affect your mental health; this shows how your mind and body are connected. Taking good care of your physical wellbeing can be a great way to protect your mental wellbeing, particularly if you are living with bipolar disorder, which can put extra demands on your mental health. By exploring the recommendations below, you can create a personalized physical health plan for this important area of wellness.

In this section, we’ll go through some helpful ways to improve your physical quality of life. These include: maintaining regular physical exercise (including how exercise affects other health conditions); eating a well-balanced diet, and decreasing substance misuse (the use of alcohol, smoking and recreational drugs that leads a person to experience problems or dependence).

Exercise is a core component of physical health, for those with and without bipolar disorder. In this picture, an Indigenous man in a wheelchair is playing volleyball or something similar inside a gymnasium.

Exercise

Exercise is acknowledged as important for general health benefits in managing bipolar disorder.

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Nutrition is another core component of physical health. Here, a young Muslim couple select fruit at the grocery store.

Diet and Nutrition

People with bipolar disorder can feel better if they eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, but research shows this is often a challenge.

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Substance use can be a problem among those of us with bipolar disorder. In this picture, a tan-skinned man is silhouetted and exhaling a puff of smoke.

Substance Use

Substance use and bipolar disorder mood symptoms are closely connected.

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Sexual health is an important component of physical health, too! In this picture, a middle-aged couple - a white man and an Asian woman - are locked in an embrace.

Sexual Health

The relationship between sexuality and quality of life in bipolar disorder is complex, and there are many important factors to consider.

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