Defined as “the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult times”, emotional wellness is a crucial part of our overall health and well-being, just like physical health and mental health. While they’re not completely independent concepts, developing a strong sense of each is essential to our overall well-being. Emotional wellness is built on the ideas of good sleep, socialization, access to food, safety, shelter, and physical movement. How does one measure and manage emotional wellness?
Stress
Stress plays a major role in our emotional health, just as it does with our mental health, and even with physical health. It’s an inescapable element of life, from the day-to-day routine of work, home, and beyond. While seeking professional help is an option for aggressive cases of stress, there are steps that can be taken to try to manage stress before reaching that point. A good night’s sleep and daily exercise can each help manage and relieve stress. In addition, setting priorities, thinking positive, and trying methods of relaxation such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.
Sleep
Regardless of age, gender, or state of wellness, sleep is crucial for all. It’s easy and common to sacrifice sleep in favor of an extra hour of work or a night out. However, when we don’t get a sufficient amount of sleep, we’re unable to give our best the next day. Getting enough sleep starts with regimenting a sleep routine. That routine should include a dark and quiet environment, without electronics, and should be preempted by some relaxing activities such as reading.
Mindfulness
An ancient practice that centers on awareness in the present moment, mindfulness is another way to improve your emotional wellness. Mindfulness aims to curb the overreaction and overwhelmingness of what occurs around us. Studies have shown that mindfulness leads to changes in memory, learning, emotion, anxiety, and stress.
Resilience
Once of the most important steps to managing emotional wellness can also be one of the most difficult to achieve. Resilience is a “quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever… they find a way to rise from the ashes.” The idea of resilience depends on honing in on a positive mindset. While that doesn’t mean never seeing the negative side of things, it’s important to focus on the sunshine instead of the passing clouds.
While emotional wellness may be a process that takes time, it is one that is worth the investment. As most people strive to improve their physical wellness, and more and more are addressing their mental health, it’s important to also take stock of and work on. To learn more about how to manage, develop, and improve your emotional wellness, click here.
Posted on October 15 2018 in Blog