Wellness consciousness is the awareness of health and willingness to engage in health-promoting behaviors, attitudes and lifestyles. It encompasses the major dimensions of physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellness.
Studies indicate that health conscious people are engaged in a variety of health-related behaviors, exhibit psychological attention to their health and seek and use diverse forms of health information. Personal responsibility and health motivation are also identified as key aspects of health consciousness.
Spiritual
Spiritual wellness is a set of values, principles, morals and beliefs that give a person a sense of purpose in life. It can be based on a religion or an inherent connection to something larger than oneself.
The most common form of spiritual wellness is through the practice of yoga and meditation. These are both beneficial to your spiritual health because they help you relax and reduce stress.
In addition, they also boost your immune system and improve mental clarity. They can also reduce fatigue, insomnia and anxiety.
Spiritual wellness is associated with a high level of self-awareness, gratitude and a willingness to display unconditional compassion towards others. It is a conscious effort to find meaning and purpose in your life.
Physical
A person’s physical wellness is a combination of different things, such as eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and engaging in regular exercise. It also involves recognizing the need for medical care and preventing illness and injury.
Physical wellness is important because it promotes proper health care that enables you to live a long, healthy life. The key is to be conscious about your physical well-being, and work toward maintaining a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, regular exercise and avoiding harmful behaviors such as drug use and alcohol abuse.
Research has identified five major dimensions of health consciousness: integration of health behavior, attention to one’s health, health information seeking and usage, personal health responsibility, and health motivation. These five components have a strong connection with one another, as shown by Gould’s (1988) health consciousness scale and other studies.
Emotional
Emotional wellness consciousness is an awareness of how your emotions affect you, and your ability to respond appropriately to them. It enables you to cope with the challenges of life and improve your overall well-being.
It also enhances your relationships and fosters a sense of self-esteem, acceptance and compassion. In addition, it may help you avoid depression and other negative feelings and behaviors.
The emotional wellness of a person is an important factor in maintaining good health and avoiding health problems in the future, according to NIH researchers. It is also a factor that can help healthcare providers and first responders connect with people in distress more easily and effectively, and better manage their own thoughts and feelings.
A person’s emotional wellness can be improved by increasing physical activity, fostering healthy relationships, and maintaining a balanced diet. This is especially true for people with chronic illness and mental health issues.
Social
In addition to physical wellness, people want to feel fulfilled in their social lives as well. Having supportive and positive relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors can make a big difference in your overall wellbeing.
Having strong relationships can also help you cope with the challenges that life brings your way. Practicing empathy and active listening are skills that can improve your relationships with others, as well as increase your self-esteem.
Many people believe that social wellness is an area of health that’s not as important as other areas of wellbeing, but there’s evidence that promoting this dimension can improve the whole person. Volunteering to clean up a park, sponsor a canned-good drive, or take part in a community service event can be a great way to boost your social wellness consciousness!
