What Is Wellness? Know The 8 Dimensions Of Wellness

Wellness is a conscious practice of developing day-to-day habits that will lead to a healthy life both physically and mentally. We often look at wellness in the physical light, which encompasses a regular workout routine and a healthy diet, but wellness goes far beyond that.

A person who practices wellness does not merely survive. They thrive in life.

How is wellness related to health?

The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.

Wellness consists of eight dimensions namely; physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, financial, and environmental. These dimensions are interdependent on each other.

To achieve true wellness, individuals should strive to achieve harmony among these dimensions. Wellness is not a one-size-fits-all; therefore, looking for what works for an individual is important.

The path to achieving wellness is not passive; it requires active acceptance, awareness, and commitment.

1. Physical dimension

This dimension involves activities that ensure your body is in optimal health.

Physical wellness can be achieved by;

Adequate sleep.

An adult requires approximately 7 to 9 hours of sleep to function, while children need more hours.

Things to do to get adequate sleep;

• Come up with a bedtime that you can adhere to every day.
• Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks past two p.m.
• Establish a screen ban in the bedroom hours before sleep
• Comfortable mattress and pillows go a long way
• Avoid spending the whole day in bed.

A regular workout routine

It is important to keep the body moving. A regular exercise routine of 30 to 60 minutes that comprises both cardio and strength training exercises is good for the body.

Other ways of being active are;

• Walking daily; use step counting apps.
•  opting for stairs instead of the elevator 
•  playing with kids
• Joining a fitness club or a gym for motivation and a sense of community.

 A healthy diet 

Eating a balanced diet that consists of proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates will ensure physical wellness. Nutritionists and dieticians recommend at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day.

Eating foods rich in protein will help boost mental health through an amino acid called tryptophan, which is converted to serotonin, a natural mood stabilizer.

Avoid foods high in unsaturated fats such as fried foods, cakes, and cookies and shortening.

Professionals have recommended 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration.

Physical wellness is also achieved by cutting down on harmful habits such as alcohol consumption.

2. Emotional dimension

The ability to achieve emotional or mental wellness is through consciously handling life’s stresses and frustrations successfully.

Goals to achieve emotional wellness;

• Having a positive attitude towards life
• Allowing you to acknowledge and express different feelings, be it fear, anger, sorrow, joy or humor.
• Be able to create healthy boundaries will friends and family.
• Believe in yourself and create a positive environment for your growth.
• Develop and maintain good and healthy relationships.
• Be sensitive to other people’s feelings and help them navigate them.
•  Come up with coping methods; some people draw to relax, read, listen to music, write, sing, and dance.

3. Social dimension

Human beings are social creatures by nature. Connecting with friends will boost your mental health.

• Engaging in group activities with friends and family is a great way of achieving social wellness.
• Reach out to friends and keep your commitments; show up.
• Learn to be assertive and confrontational when you feel wronged. Compassionately do this to avoid further escalation of the situation.
• Develop a hobby that you enjoy doing with friends.

A strong support system is beneficial for an individual’s well being. Being able to share your victories and losses with people closest to us is always a good feeling.

4. Intellectual Dimension

Recognizing ways to expand knowledge and skills through intellectually stimulating activities.

5. Spiritual dimension

Spiritual wellness is a belief in a higher power and having a set of values, principles, beliefs and morals that provide a sense of meaning and purpose of life. These beliefs and principles are what guide us through life.

Spirituality has a different meaning for everyone.

Some practices that promote spiritual wellness are;

• Volunteering in soup kitchens, homeless shelters and animal shelters.
• Donating to courses that you believe in, such as feeding the homeless.
• Mentoring children and youth in the community
• Praying
• Practicing yoga and meditation.,
• Belonging to a group that subscribes to the same principles and ethics as you
• Self-reflection
• Finding people that have the same beliefs to guide and mentor you can be; teachers, elders, and community leaders

6. Occupational dimension

Washington state university defines occupational wellness as creating a balance between work and leisure to promote health and overall success.

Occupational wellness involves;

• Engaging in work that fulfils you
• Being able to work independently and with others
• Achieving the balance between work and leisure.
• Feeling accomplished and happy at the end of the day.
• Engaging in work that challenges you every day, learning something new each day creates a sense of adventure, making you look forward to working.

7. Financial dimension

Financial stress is common among adults.

Achieving financial freedom and wellness is the ability to strike a balance between spending and saving.

This can be done by;

• Appropriate budgeting
• Investing
• Coming up with a plan to pay off student loans
• Having multiple sources of income. 

Balancing how to save and how to spend is harder than it sounds.

Keep in mind that over saving is also not optimal for your wellness.

Avoiding spending on things that make you happy can deter your path to overall wellness. 

8. Environmental dimension

Environmental wellness is being aware of how your daily actions affect the environment.

Things you can do to achieve environmental wellness;

• Recycling
• Limit repeatedly buying plastics. Walk with your water bottles; several stores allow clients to come with reusable containers when buying refillable products such as lotions and shower gels.
• Use public transport, walk, ride a bicycle or carpool to reduce your carbon footprint.
• Take part in activities that help clean the community, city or beach.

Overall wellness will add more years to your life, change your whole outlook on life and improve the quality of your life.