There are six distinct types of Health which include Physical, Mental, Emotional, Social, Financial, and Environmental health. Each of these six Health is essential for a healthy lifestyle. The first two are self-explanatory. The other four though need more explanation.
Physical wellness refers to your general well-being, both in and outside of your physical body. It can be measured using the maximum number of calories taken in, the frequency of exercise, or how much physical activity you engage in. Mental wellness includes your thoughts and beliefs, as well as your ability to make sound decisions. Emotional well-being is related to your emotions and how they affect you, as well as how they make you feel. Financial well-being is all about money, as it is related to your resources.
The last four Health dimensions are primarily concerned with the environment. They include the physical environment, Mental environment, Emotional environment, and Social environment. All of these combine to determine your quality of life. Your level of physical health is determined by your ability to move around without too much difficulty, to climb stairs and walk to the nearest bathroom, and to have your basic needs met without having to spend much time or money on extra assistance.
All the different types of health are necessary for maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle, but people’s perceptions of their own health can affect the way they view their overall well-being. If you see your health as poor or as having major problems, you may be less likely to take the steps needed to improve it. However, if you view your health as good or excellent, you may be more likely to take those steps. Poor perceptions of your health have been shown to cause major medical problems and to interfere with your ability to manage your daily life.
The third dimension that covers the mental health and the emotional health refers to the relationships you have with other people. You will find that people who are mentally healthy are able to share their experiences and their feelings with others in a supportive way. Those who are emotionally healthy are able to share their negative experiences and their achievements with similar people in a supportive way. Your sense of self-worth can be affected by your relationships, so if you are feeling low, you need to examine why you are connecting with people in negative ways and to work on changing those connections. Those who are emotionally healthy are happy and satisfied with their relationships, and this happiness extends to their social interactions as well.
This is just a quick overview of the three main components of the well-being process. You will find that when you are thinking about your overall well-being, your health and emotional health are closely linked. You cannot get well unless you are happy. Conversely, you cannot be emotionally healthy unless you are emotionally healthy. You must take an inventory of how you are feeling on a daily basis and then work on changing those feelings into feelings that are more positive. If you do this, you can get well.
