Mental wellness isn’t a passive thing. In order to support your physical wellness, you have to establish healthy habits in how you move, what you eat, and how you sleep. Equally, to support mental health, you have to build awareness and establish habits that support the mental health you want to have. While you may need additional support at different points in your lifespan for more optimal mental health, there are a great number of lifestyle behaviors you can put in place to support your mental well-being.
Physical Wellness
No surprises here – how we care for our physical body directly impacts our mental and emotional health. Moving your body throughout the day tells your brain that you are productive, safe, and able to end the stress cycle. Eating nutritious foods helps to keep your body functioning optimally. Prioritizing sleep also helps keep stress hormones in check and reduce anxiety. Attending to your physical wellness is a fantastic way to support your overall mental well-being.
Occupational Wellness
Feeling secure in your career is essential to mental wellness. Ideally, your career path gives you purpose and a sense of accomplishment. We all feel more passionate and driven when we believe in the cause we serve.
Social Wellness
This pillar of wellness is critical! You don’t have to be a social butterfly to feel the impact of social wellness on your mental health. Feeling loved and part of a community or team is a critical component of mental well-being. Unfortunately, feelings of isolation can drive depression and anxiety, weaken the immune system, and more. We are built to be social and support each other – read more about human connection the power of community, here.
Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness refers to your surroundings, whether at home, at work, even in your car. Supporting environmental wellness means being aware of the spaces you spend your time in. When your surroundings are stress and negativity, your mental health is going to suffer. On the other hand, when your surroundings reflect your values and goals, environmental wellness keeps you engaged with life, motivated to reach your goals, and feeling safe and at ease.
Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness doesn’t necessarily mean you are religious, although, it can absolutely be just that. Spirituality means that you have values that matter to you, and that you seek to recognize and understand your purpose in life. Spirituality can be appreciation for life, for nature, or something else. Exploring these values and beliefs supports your mental well-being.
Takeaway
You don’t have to perfect all pillars of your wellness in order to improve overall mental well-being. Although, it is encouraging to know that serving one area of your health will serve another – if I go for a quick walk around the block, I’m serving both my physical and mental health. When I schedule a lunch with a friend, or attend a a team meeting, I’m supporting my social wellness and my mental health. Keep leaning into all pillars of your wellness to bolster and support your mental health.
Written by: Stephanie Anklan, Registered Dietitian
