Physical Health and Climate Anxiety: Breaking the Cycle for Lasting Change

Eco anxiety and climate grief are natural and rational feelings. These difficult emotions stem from our genuine concern for the planet and other people. But they don’t just affect our mental health. Chronic anxiety and sadness about environmental issues and social injustice also take a real toll on our physical health.

It also works the other way.  When our body is worn down due to poor nutrition, lack of sleep, or other health issues, our anxiety can feel even harder to manage. This creates a cycle where emotional distress and physical symptoms feed into each other, making it difficult to find a way forward.

When we care for both our mental and physical well-being, we can break this negative spiral. By looking after our bodies and minds with movement, nutritious food, and plenty of rest, we become healthier and happier. And as a result, we are better able to take meaningful action on the climate and social issues that matter most to us.

Yes, it is totally reasonable to feel upset when we know people and wildlife are suffering. But we don’t have to be physically and mentally unwell in order to make a difference. In fact, to be able to roll up our sleeves and do something, we need to have a certain degree of physical and emotional health. 

So let’s take a look at how we can take care of our bodies and minds for the good of the whole planet. And dig a little deeper into how physical and mental health are intertwined. 

The Downward Spiral of Physical Health and Climate Anxiety

When climate distress weighs on us day after day, our bodies react as if we’re facing an immediate physical threat. While climate change is a real danger, it’s not the kind of urgent threat our bodies evolved to handle. Over thousands of years, humans adapted to respond quickly to physical dangers (like a big predator stalking nearby) by releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare our bodies to run or fight.

The problem today is that ongoing worries like eco-anxiety and climate grief keep triggering this stress response without a chance to fully release it. And when stress hormones stay elevated for too long, they can disrupt our health in several ways, including:

• Causing chronic inflammation and weakening the immune system, which makes us more vulnerable to illness.

• Interfering with sleep, which leads to fatigue and difficulty concentrating.

• Bringing on physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and digestive problems, which often hide deeper emotional stress.

These effects are part of a complex response involving hormones, the nervous system, and more. Left unaddressed, this ongoing stress can drain our energy and make it difficult to find day to day happiness or motivation to do something about the world’s problems. 

Health Issues Can Deepen Anxiety

At the same time, poor physical health can amplify eco-anxiety, creating a self-reinforcing loop. One critical factor here is nutrient deficiencies. According to the World Health Organisation, around 2 billion people worldwide suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiencies, and this isn’t just a problem in poorer countries. Many people in Europe and other wealthier regions also struggle to get enough essential nutrients.

For example, widespread deficiencies in iron and magnesium can directly affect mental health. Low iron can cause symptoms like fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and even depression. Magnesium deficiency often leads to increased anxiety, restlessness, and trouble sleeping. Other common shortfalls include iodine, calcium, B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C, and folate.

These nutrient gaps contribute to poor mood regulation, cognitive fog, fatigue, and a weakened immune system. When our bodies are depleted in this way, it becomes much harder to manage stress, making climate anxiety feel even more overwhelming.

In other words, when our health falters, so does our emotional resilience. Nourishing the body with the nutrients it needs is an essential step toward breaking the cycle and building strength to face climate challenges with clarity and hope.

Shifting From a Downward to an Upward Spiral

The good news? The mind–body connection also opens a pathway for healing. As well as working through the psychological aspect of climate anxiety, you can also take simple steps to support your overall health, which, in turn, will make stress more possible to manage effectively. So instead of being paralysed by climate distress, you can experience more happiness, and actually do something. 

Here are some gentle, practical ways to support yourself:

1. Nurture Your Nutritional Foundation

What we eat deeply affects how we feel both physically and mentally. Small changes can make a big difference over time.

• Eat with intention. Try adding a simple, nourishing habit like eating oats every morning. Oats contain nutrients that help regulate stress hormones and stabilise blood sugar. See how you feel after a month. Sometimes small, consistent habits add up to noticeable changes.

• Reduce sugar gradually. Too much sugar can worsen anxiety by causing blood sugar spikes and crashes that increase nervousness and irritability. Instead of reaching for ice cream or cake, try dark chocolate or a comforting hot chocolate made with whole milk and just a teaspoon of sugar. Cutting back slowly helps reduce cravings without feeling like deprivation.

• Limit caffeine. Too much caffeine can increase jitteriness and anxiety. Consider having one caffeinated coffee in the morning, then switch to high-quality decaf for the rest of the day to enjoy the ritual without overstimulation.

• Get enough iron. Iron is essential for energy and brain function. You will find it in red meat, leafy greens like spinach or kale, and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas. If you have been feeling tired or anxious for a while, a supplement might help. (I found this natural liquid form called Floradix effective for replenishing my iron.) But talk to your doctor first if you have any doubts. Avoid drinking tea or coffee alongside iron-rich meals, as they reduce absorption. Pairing iron foods with vitamin C-rich items like oranges can boost absorption.

• Try magnesium supplements. Magnesium supports relaxation and mood. The glycinate form is best absorbed. Taking it for a month a couple of times a year can help top up your levels.

• Consider testing your micronutrient levels. If you often feel fatigued, anxious, or overwhelmed, checking your nutrient levels with your doctor or at a local clinic might reveal deficiencies that you can address. Some healthcare systems cover this if prescribed.

• Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water supports all your body’s systems, including brain function and mood regulation. Aim for 2 litres a day. 

• Limit alcohol. Alcohol can interfere with sleep and mood. If you want to reduce it without missing out socially, there are now excellent alcohol-free beers, proseccos, and even gins that taste great.

• Eat plenty of fibre. Fibre nourishes your gut microbiome, which in turn supports mental health. You can find fibre in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. If you are finding it tricky to get fresh vegetables in, frozen options are just as nutritious and easy to cook. Just steam or microwave and add them to your meals.

Remember, you do not need to do everything at once. Pick a couple of changes that feel doable and see how they work for you. 

2. Lower Stress and Support Your Body’s Healing

Reducing stress and caring for your body helps break the downward spiral of eco-anxiety and poor health.

• Get outside regularly. Time in nature lowers stress hormones, reduces blood pressure, and boosts mood. Plus, sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, which is important for mental health and immune function. Even a short daily walk makes a difference.

• Move gently and exercise regularly. Gentle movement like walking, yoga, or mindful stretching can feel achievable even when more intense exercise feels hard. Regular physical activity reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, improves sleep, and supports mental wellbeing.

• Create daily rest rituals. Taking a few minutes for calm, such as journaling your thoughts or enjoying morning tea outside without screens, helps quiet your mind and release tension.

• Keep screens out of the bedroom. Avoid phones or computers before bed to reduce blue light exposure, which can disrupt sleep. It also helps prevent anxiety spikes from stressful news just before sleeping or waking.

Finding Your Starting Point: Lighten Your Backpack

If you are not sure where to begin, try this simple visualisation: Imagine all the things causing you stress as bricks in a backpack you carry around. Apart from climate anxiety, which we are working on together, what is the one brick you most want to take out and leave behind? Is it a stressful job? A difficult family relationship?

Identifying that one weight can help you focus on what is most pressing right now. When you ease other stressors, you create more mental space to work through climate anxiety without feeling overwhelmed.

It’s okay if you don’t know exactly how to move forward with that yet, just try to be aware of what things are causing you stress so you can be ready to find a solution when the time is right. 

The Takeaway: Well-Being as a Foundation for Change

Physical health and climate anxiety can't be separated. Poor health makes climate anxiety worse, and in turn, environmental distress takes a toll on our bodies. By tending to our physical and emotional wellbeing, we create the stability and vitality needed to respond and create a better world for everyone.

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