Improving your Overall Health

In celebration of World Health Day tomorrow, I will be sharing some information on the different aspects of health and what you can do to improve them all. This is a time of uncertainty in our country and around the world, but it is also a good time to slow down and take stock of your health, especially the aspects that don’t get as much attention. Health is multifaceted, and all pieces are equally important. Here are five different dimensions of health that all work together to form personal well-being, and some tips for improving each one. 

1. Physical - When most people think of health, they think of physical health, namely eating well and exercising. While these are two important facets of physical health, there is more to it than that. Getting enough sleep is also crucial, because it gives you the energy you need to get through your day, and it helps keep your immune system strong enough to fight off illness. 

Eating more vegetables can improve 
your physical health.
© Wikimedia Commons

Improving physical health can seem like a challenge, but taking small steps each day can help make major impacts. Eating an extra serving of vegetables per day in place of a less healthy option can help, as can doing simple exercises like taking a walk or doing light lifting. You don’t even have to go to the gym to work out, and you don’t need heavy weights either. Here is a list of simple exercises that you can do from home. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, try going to bed 15-30 minutes earlier each night until you feel rested when you wake up. 
2. Mental - The past few years have seen a greater focus on mental health, and for good reason. Having good mental health includes having a positive self-image and the resiliency to bounce back from setbacks and negative situations. It involves emotional health as well, because dealing with your emotions and being able to properly express them is crucial for maintaining mental wellness. 
Everyone struggles with mental health from time to time, so it is important to be aware of things you can do to help yourself and others. Surrounding yourself with supportive people (even virtually) can help, as can taking time for yourself to do something you enjoy. Writing your thoughts down in a journal can help if you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed about something. Listening to music or doing something creative can be a good mood-booster, but the bottom line is to find something that makes you happy and take the time to enjoy doing it. 
3. Spiritual - Being spiritually healthy involves having a sense of inner peace and contentedness with the world around you. Your spiritual health may be centered in a religion, but that is not the case for everybody. No matter whether you consider yourself religious or not, spiritual health is an important aspect of health that is important for anyone’s well-being.

Practicing yoga can help with 

multiple aspects of health.

© Wikimedia Commons

Many people practice good spiritual health by participating in organized religion, but there are other ways to do it. You can practice meditation or mindfulness techniques that will help you unplug from the world for a minute and focus on nothing but yourself. Even taking a walk or doing another peaceful activity can help you shift your focus inward and improve your spiritual health.  4. Social - Social health involves your relationships with other people - friends, family members, partners, coworkers, and anyone else you come in contact with throughout the day. Right now, social health may be lacking for a lot of people because many of us are unable to meet in person due to social distancing. Therefore, this is an aspect of health that could probably use some attention, and luckily, we live in an age where we can still connect with others even when we aren’t physically together. 

Taking care of the 

environment is important for

its health and yours. 

Photo courtesy of the author

Social media can be helpful for keeping up with friends, but it can also be draining to scroll through the same apps for large chunks of time. If you do use a lot of social media, make sure to take some breaks and don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed. You can also connect with friends and family through video chatting apps such as FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, and others, so you can still have face-to-face conversations with them. Even a regular phone call can be enough to connect with loved ones and keep up with your social health needs.  5. Environmental - Where we live has a large impact on our health. Your environment includes the outdoors as well as your house, and keeping it healthy will help keep you healthy. Keeping your space clean can do a lot for the other aspects of your health, and
being environmentally-conscious is crucial for maintaining the health of the world.  In order to maintain the health of your environment, you must keep it clean. If possible, you could pick up litter while taking a walk around your neighborhood. Also, recycle what you can and make sure your garbage gets disposed of properly. You may even consider composting to help with food waste. Now is a good time to explore different options for increasing your sustainability habits. You don't necessarily have to learn how to make your own cleaning supplies, but you could make some small changes that will help protect the environment for years to come. Health is a complex concept, but all the aspects work together and combine for overall well-being. Improving your health in one area will generally give you a boost in at least one other area, so the benefits compound. Each aspect is just as important as the next, so take some time today to evaluate the different aspects of your health and consider making a change for the better.