Often, people confuse the terms “health” and “wellness,” but these two terms are very different.
Health refers to your physical functioning and wellness is an overall quality of being.
Experts have organized personal health into a model with several interconnected “dimensions.” Each dimension has positive and negative ripple effects when the others are affected.
Physical
Physical wellness is a holistic way of life that encompasses nutrition, exercise, sleep, and other habits. It’s a lifestyle that can add years to your life and improve the quality of your mental and emotional health.
A good example of this is that people who prioritize physical wellness are less likely to develop diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
This is because physical fitness is a vital part of your overall health and well-being, especially as you get older. It also helps keep your brain sharp and prevent memory issues.
Mental
While mental wellness and health are often thought of as two separate things, they are actually the same. As the American Psychiatry Association explains, both refer to the state of your mind’s wellbeing.
You can improve your mental health by following healthy habits like a regular exercise routine, good nutrition and getting enough sleep. You can also learn to practice gratitude and mindfulness in order to reduce stress and feel happier.
A person with good mental wellness has a sense of purpose and generally positive emotions despite life’s challenges. This is a very human experience, and it can be challenging to achieve.
Social
While many people think of physical health or symptoms as the basis for wellness, there are other dimensions that impact well-being and influence how we feel about our lives.
Social wellness is one of those dimensions. It involves building and maintaining trusting, respectful, and authentic relationships with others.
The social health of an individual is closely connected to their ability to manage stress and anxiety, build emotional resilience, and develop self-esteem.
Studies have shown that individuals who maintain healthy social networks can reduce their risk of obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure. They may also live longer than those who are isolated.
Spiritual
Whether you find spirituality through religion, music, art or a connection with nature, it’s important to cultivate a healthy mindset and positive attitude in order to promote your overall health. Creating a few moments for reflection, prayer, meditation or yoga in your daily routine can help you maintain balance and focus.
Those who study the concept of spiritual health often define it as the human connection with God, himself, others and the nature. They consider this connection as a vital component of spiritual health, which involves examining the meaning of life, hope, self-actualization, moral virtues, peace, responsibility for oneself, balance and transcendence.
Emotional
Just like your physical health is a combination of diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle habits, emotional wellness is the same. It involves understanding your emotions and coping effectively with the challenges life can present.
Emotionally healthy people have a stronger sense of resilience and are able to cope with every kind of emotion that comes their way. They also know how to be kind and compassionate to themselves, which carries over into their interactions with others.
It’s important to note that just because you have emotional wellness doesn’t mean you won’t feel any negative emotions, or that you can’t have a bad day. It’s simply a matter of how you respond to them, which is why it’s so important to practice this skill. It’s an essential tool for surviving life and thriving in it.