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Well-being encompasses the spiritual, emotional, physical and social aspects of life. We share techniques that you can apply to make sure your life is positive and healthy.
According to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, these are some of the benefits to well-being:
- ‘Being optimistic and having positive emotions can reduce the risk of a heart attack by up to 50%’.
- ‘Experiencing three times more positive emotions compared to negative ones leads to a tipping point beyond which we become more resilient to adversity and better able to achieve things’.
- People who are happier tend to live longer than those that aren’t – ‘potentially adding 7½ years to their lifespan’.
- ‘Having high levels of well-being has been shown to increase our immunity to infection, lower our risk of some mental health problems, reduce mental decline as we get older, and increase our resilience.’
- ‘A high level of well-being is as good for heart health and provides as much protection from coronary heart disease as quitting smoking does.’
Being positive and exercising a fruitful nature will allow you to inhabit a healthy lifestyle. It has become human nature to get fixed to our routines, which can sometimes be detrimental to our well-being. It then becomes imperative that one takes a break from the robotic routine and picks healthy habits. True well-being comes with balance, constant growth and acceptance.
According to the Wellbeing Project, these are five techniques that contribute to positive well-being:
- Get proper sleep Not having a good amount of sleep and rest has a negative effect on our overall well-being. Our bodies need proper sleep and rest to heal and to renew our energy so that we can function properly.
- Eat a balanced diet You need a balanced and healthy diet to ensure that your body receives enough proper nutrition.
- Manage stress Though stress may be inevitable, there are ways of handling it. Learn to deal with stress in a smart and effective way, and stay away from things that cause you to stress.
- Exercise daily You do not have to be a fitness bunny, it is as simple as taking the stairs instead of the lift. Exercising strengthens your heart and improves your blood circulation.
- Laugh and enjoy life Don’t take life too seriously. Don’t isolate yourself – socialise with friends and spend time with your family.
