Physical Wellbeing
What is Physical Wellbeing
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Physical wellbeing directly affects our long term health. Important aspects of physical health include physical activities, nutrition, sleep, sexual health, and making healthy decisions around substance use. Physical wellbeing can benefit our emotional, intellectual and relational wellbeing too.
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Physical Activities
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. It can be any movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work. Both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity improve health.
Popular ways to be active include walking, cycling, wheeling, sports, active recreation and play, and can be done at any level of skill and for enjoyment by everybody.
Regular physical activity can help maintain a healthy body weight, and is proven to help prevent and manage many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancers. It can also improve mental health, quality of life and well-being.
Nutrition
Nutrition is important for your body and health. Better nutrition leads to stronger immune systems,better skin, lower risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and a longer lifespan. People with adequate nutrition have better mood and self-esteem, learn better, are more productive and can create opportunities to gradually break the cycles of poverty and hunger. It is important to make healthy food choices and choose foods that nourish and work best for your body.
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Sleep
Good sleep is essential to good health. Adequate sleep is important to recharge your body and mind. Remember the 3 R’s: Rest, Recovery, Regeneration! It is a wise investment to make time for a good night’s rest. According to the America’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC), there is a global problem of insufficient sleep with serious public health implications. A good sleep of seven to eight hours every night will recharge and rejuvenate your body and mind, and get you ready for a new day.
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Protect Our Body from Harms
It is important for us to understand that our lifestyle, habits and behaviour can affect our physical wellbeing.
We need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and avoid harmful habits such as substance abuse. Effective hygiene, responsible decision making, adequate self-care and injury prevention are needed. Sexual health and disease prevention are also important. We need to be able to recognize when we are not physically well and take appropriate actions.
Ways to improve your Physical Wellbeing
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Regular exercise
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Implement a regular, nutritious and healthy food schedule
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Drink plenty of water
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Maintain healthy sleeping routines
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Maintain personal hygiene
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Practicing safe sex
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Avoiding harmful habits/substances
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Avoiding unnecessary injury
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Recognizing and responding to illness and disease
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Regular physical checkups
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Utilizing safe modes of transportation
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html
https://wellness.huhs.harvard.edu/your-wellbeing
https://uwaterloo.ca/engineering-wellness-program/nine-dimensions-wellness#emotional