EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
There are thousands of studies that show there is 100% a Mind/Body Connection... Your emotions affect your health in a Good and BAD way!
People who have good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They have learned healthy ways to cope with the stress and problems that are a normal part of life. They feel good about themselves and have healthy relationships. However, many things that happen in your life can disrupt your emotional health. These can lead to strong feelings of sadness, stress, or anxiety. Even good or wanted changes can be as stressful as unwanted changes. These things include:
Being laid off from your job.
Having a child leave or return home.
Dealing with the death of a loved one.
Getting divorced or married.
Suffering an illness or an injury.
Getting a job promotion.
Experiencing money problems.
Moving to a new home.
Having or adopting a baby.
How can my emotions affect my health?
Your body responds to the way you think, feel, and act. This is one type of “mind/body connection.” When you are stressed, anxious, or upset, your body reacts in a way that might tell you that something isn’t right. For example, you might develop high blood pressure or a stomach ulcer after a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a loved one. If you have a metabolic problem, your blood sugar will also increase (sometimes ALOT) due to a stressful or emotional event.
Live a balanced life
Focus on the things that you are grateful for in your life. Try not to obsess about the problems at work, school, or home that lead to negative feelings. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be happy when you feel stressed, anxious, or upset. It’s important to deal with these negative feelings, but try to focus on the positive things in your life, too. You may want to use a journal to keep track of things that make you feel happy or peaceful. Some research has shown that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your health a boost.
You may also need to find ways to let go of some things in your life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed.
Make time for things you enjoy.
Develop resilience:
People with resilience are able to cope with stress in a healthy way.
Resilience can be learned and strengthened with different strategies.
These include having social support,
a positive view of yourself,
accepting change,
and keeping things in perspective.
A counselor or therapist can help you achieve this goal with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Calm your mind and body -
Relaxation methods, such as meditation, listening to music, listening to guided imagery CDs or mp3s, yoga, and Tai Chi are useful ways to bring your emotions into balance.
Meditation is a form of guided thought. (It can take many forms. For example, you may do it by exercising, stretching, or breathing deeply. )
Take care of yourself
To have good emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body by having a regular routine for eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep, and exercising to relieve pent-up tension. Avoid overeating and don’t abuse drugs or alcohol. Using drugs or alcohol just causes other issues, such as family and health problems.
Things to consider:
Poor emotional health can weaken your body’s immune system.
This makes you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times.
Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should.
You may not feel like exercising, eating nutritious foods, or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes.
You may abuse alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
Other signs of poor emotional health include:
back pain
change in appetite
chest pain
constipation or diarrhea
dry mouth
extreme tiredness
general aches and pains
headaches
high blood pressure
insomnia (trouble sleeping)
lightheadedness
palpitations (the feeling that your heart is racing)
sexual problems
shortness of breath
stiff neck
sweating
upset stomach
weight gain or loss
increased blood sugar
One very important thing you can do is to develop an EMS. EMS stands for Endorphin or (Emotional) Management System. Basically, try to have ways to relax or even ways to prevent an emotional or stressful event, by adding "TOOLS" to your EMS TOOLBOX. For example meditation, come up with a BRIDGE (See Carb Addiction), Journal, Call a Friend, Pray, Volunteer...whatever it is, it has to be something that YOU enjoy doing.
SPIRITUAL WELLBEING
The spiritual element of wellness can be the most personal piece of the puzzle when trying to place all seven dimensions of wellness together. Generally, people like to live a life with meaning and purpose. When these goals are met, it puts harmony in one’s life, and the others they surround themselves with.
So, what can you do to improve your spiritual wellness? It’s best to figure out what techniques work for you. Since spiritual wellness involves one’s values, beliefs, and purpose, it can be achieved in several ways—both physically and mentally.
1. Explore your spiritual core. By exploring your spiritual core, you are simply asking yourself questions about the person you are and your meaning. Ask yourself: Who am I? What is my purpose? What do I value most? These questions will lead you down a road where you will think more in-depth about yourself and allow you to notice things about yourself that will help you achieve fulfillment.
The spiritual element of wellness can be the most personal piece of the puzzle when trying to place all seven dimensions of wellness together. Generally, people like to live a life with meaning and purpose. When these goals are met, it puts harmony in one’s life, and the others they surround themselves with.
So, what can you do to improve your spiritual wellness? It’s best to figure out what techniques work for you. Since spiritual wellness involves one’s values, beliefs, and purpose, it can be achieved in several ways—both physically and mentally.
1. Explore your spiritual core. By exploring your spiritual core, you are simply asking yourself questions about the person you are and your meaning. Ask yourself: Who am I? What is my purpose? What do I value most? These questions will lead you down a road where you will think more in-depth about yourself and allow you to notice things about yourself that will help you achieve fulfillment.
2. Travel. It’s true! Taking time for yourself to travel to a comforting place or somewhere new can do wonders for your mind. When you are at a place where your mind can keep out distractions and help you reflect and rest, you will have a better connection with yourself. This allows you to weed out stressors and set your mind on the right path for overall wellness. Some activities to take part in when on a trip can be exercising, speaking with a counselor or advisor, meditation, or taking a temporary vow of silence.
3. Think positively. Once you start viewing things in your life in a positive manner, you will find yourself thinking differently and refocusing your mind to a happy, healthy place. When you eliminate negativity and re-frame how you think of certain things and situations, you’ll notice yourself being more relaxed.
4. Take time to meditate. While managing your time and daily tasks can be hard, it is crucial to devote time to connecting with yourself. Whether in the morning when you wake up, during your lunch break, or before you go to sleep, take five to 10 minutes to meditate each day. Fitting mediation and relaxation into your lifestyle will free your mind and foster a stronger relationship with your spiritual wellness.
Additional resources
Campus Religious Center
Fitness classes
Identifying core values
Learn how to meditate
Lifestyle Enhancement program
Massage
Questions to identify values
Yoga Day Hike