Health and Well-Being

Health can be defined as the state of physical, mental and social well-being, not simply an absence of disease or infirmity. Enjoying the highest attainable standard of health is one of our fundamental rights as humans.

People often have different understandings of health based on their life goals and expectations. These differing perceptions coexist and evolve online contexts.

Physical

Physical health refers to an individual’s ability to feel well and move without pain, making up one aspect of overall well-being that can be enhanced through healthy diet, physical activity and regular medical check-ups.

Physical health refers to an individual’s ability to maintain healthy body weight, prevent chronic diseases and manage stress effectively. It’s influenced by genetics, lifestyle and environment and improved with physical activity at moderate or vigorous intensity levels; good nutrition; sufficient rest and regular healthcare that detects illnesses or injuries before they progress further. Physical wellbeing is an integral component of quality of life – its foundation for productivity which contributes directly to overall well-being; this includes bones, muscles, heart and lungs as well as any related conditions such as knees or arthritis or injuries caused by being physically fit or having health conditions like knees and/during these times of discomfort or stress.

Mental

Mental health refers to emotional well-being that impacts how you think and behave, including your ability to cope with stress effectively and create rewarding relationships.

Researchers are still unravelling the causes of mental illnesses, but it is clear that genetics, life experiences and environment all play an important part. If someone in your family suffers from one, your risk could increase significantly – meaning if one member of your family also has one it increases your chance.

Good mental health is important, both to enjoy life and navigate difficult circumstances more successfully, and protect from illness. Therefore, taking care to maintain it should be just as prioritised. There are various approaches available to boost mental wellbeing including psychotherapy and medications.

Social

Mental wellness encompasses social wellness as an aspect of overall well-being; specifically how a person interacts with others and develops supportive relationships. Social wellbeing plays an integral role in how effectively an individual copes with stress.

Sociologists have played an essential role in exploring the correlation between social relationships and health and mortality risk, providing explanations for this relationship, and uncovering differences among population groups in their influence on people’s mental and physical well-being. Research also indicates that both quantity and quality of social ties affect mental and physical well-being and mortality risk.

Psychosocial mechanisms suggest that social ties may promote health through benefits like buffering stress, supporting physiological functions and reducing allostatic load (wear and tear on regulatory systems) as well as encouraging healthier lifestyle choices.

Spiritual

Spiritual health encompasses beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviors that bring meaning to one’s life; as well as dealing with life challenges such as illness, death and loss. Studies indicate that an individual’s spiritual wellbeing can have an effect on other aspects of their wellbeing such as mental and physical health.

Spirituality has been linked with lower rates of depression and anxiety, better quality of life for HIV positive individuals living peacefully together, increased longevity, reduced stress in those with asymptomatic heart failure and lower rates of stress overall. A number of experts agree that spirituality should be an integral component of patient-centric healthcare and wellness strategies.

Spiritual health was defined by our participants as the religious dimension in which an individual experiences closeness and harmony with a higher power, other people, and nature; marked by moral virtues like pacifism, forgiveness, and helping others unconditionally. Furthermore, they identified an indirect correlation between type of education and health-related behaviors through spirituality.

Emotional

Emotional health is an integral component of overall well-being. This encompasses both experiencing positive emotions as well as managing negative ones in a constructive manner.

Emotionally healthy individuals have the ability to adapt quickly from setbacks, maintaining positive relationships with those close to them and maintaining an optimistic attitude toward themselves and life in general. They keep things in perspective while having a solid sense of self-worth.

People struggling with their emotional health often turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms for relief, like turning to mood-altering substances to control their feelings. While emotional health does not equal emotionless living, repressing negative feelings could have lasting negative impacts on physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Emotionally healthy people use insight from their feelings as a resource to adapt, align and perform at their peak performance levels.