How Your Lifestyle Can Influence Medication Effectiveness

Mental health medication can be used to help people recover from a variety of conditions. Unfortunately, there are stigmas around people taking medication for mental health. These stigmas are improving, but it’s important to understand there is nothing wrong with taking medication for mental health symptoms. Advances in psychiatry have changed the way that people with mental health conditions live their lives. 

Increasing or changing certain habits can help improve medication effectiveness. Engaging in activities that improve mental health will also help improve how effective medication is. We will discuss different things that can help medication be more helpful. 

• Sleep. Getting adequate sleep has an immense mood and mental health symptoms. Not getting enough sleep can make sure that our brains work effectively and how we respond to stressful situations. Lack of sleep can also make the side effects of medication worse. Having a healthy sleep routine can help improve the quality of the sleep we get.
  
  
• Consistency. Taking medication for mental health every day and at the same time can help to improve how effective it is. Skipping a dosage of medication can make side effects more difficult to deal with. It can be helpful for people to set reminders on their phones to remind them to take their medication.
  
  
• Exercise. Exercises consistently can help improve mood and reduce stress. Regular exercise can also help increase energy levels and improve the quality of sleep we get each night. Finding fun ways to exercise that fit into your lifestyle is the best way to incorporate it into your routines.
  
  
• Stress. Attempting to decrease stress levels can be helpful in the effectiveness of psychiatric medication. High stress levels over time can increase the hormone cortisol. Managing stress levels can help medications work better. Some examples of exercises to lower stress levels include guided meditation or breath work.
  
  
• Nutrition. Staying hydrated and focusing on nutrition can also help medication be more effective. Depending on the type of medication a person is taking, it may need to be taken with or without food. It’s also important to make sure that people are adequately hydrated. Both nutrition and hydration can make a large difference in how we feel.

Taking the step to start psychiatric medication can be scary, but worth it. Mental health medications can be the change that is needed to change a person’s life. Medication is best used alongside therapy for the best results. For even better results, changing lifestyle habits can make the changes even more life-changing. Changing parts of our lifestyle can be challenging because we get stuck in our daily habits. Even though it can be challenging, it's always possible to change our habits.

If you (or someone you love) may benefit from therapy, we are here for you! Reach out to us today if you are ready to start your healing journey. 

References

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4409431/ 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5331161/ 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11293293/ 

https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/treatments/mental-health-medications/ 

Keywords: psychiatric medication, medication effectiveness, psychiatry