The Importance of Mental Wellbeing for a Healthy Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle is about more than just diet and exercise - it's also crucial to focus on mental wellbeing. With the busyness and stress of modern life, many people struggle to maintain their mental wellbeing. This can negatively impact both physical and emotional health. 

When we think of health, we often focus on aspects like nutrition, fitness, adequate sleep, and avoiding harmful substances. However, mental wellbeing is a critical component of overall health that is often overlooked. 

What exactly is mental wellbeing? It refers to your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. This impacts how you think, feel, and interact with others. Maintaining good mental wellbeing allows you to cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and realize your full potential.

Some key aspects of mental wellbeing include:

- Coping effectively with stress

- Enjoying healthy relationships  

- Having a sense of meaning and purpose

- Thinking positively and with optimism

- Experiencing happiness and life satisfaction

When your mental wellbeing suffers, it can have significant consequences for your physical health as well. For example, chronic stress leads to elevated cortisol levels, which can increase blood pressure, blood sugar, inflammation and weight gain. Depression is linked to a weakened immune system and heart disease risk.

On the other hand, tending to your mental wellbeing provides tremendous benefits for your overall health. People with better mental health tend to have reduced risk of chronic illness and live longer.

Here are some lifestyle habits you can adopt to boost your mental wellbeing:

Exercise regularly - Aerobic exercise releases feel-good endorphins and reduces stress hormones. Aim for 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week.

Eat a healthy diet - Limit sugar and processed foods, focusing on anti-inflammatory whole foods like fruits, veggies, healthy fats and high-quality protein. 

Get enough sleep - Adults need 7-9 hours per night. Lack of sleep negatively affects mood and mental sharpness.

Practice mindfulness - Meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises help calm the mind and reduce anxiety.

Foster social connections - Loneliness and isolation can lead to depression. Spend quality time with family/friends.

Find purpose and meaning - Having goals, passions and activities you enjoy creates positive emotions.

Seek help when needed - If anxiety, depression or trauma impacts daily life, speak to a mental health professional. 

When you make mental wellbeing a priority through healthy lifestyle habits, you'll feel more positive, resilient and empowered to handle life's ups and downs (life always throws these at us!). A holistic approach to health should integrate both physical and mental wellness.

What steps will you take today to boost your mental wellbeing? Work with a health coach at Able and help get your entire lifestyle on track to be the best version of yourself. Your mind and body will thank you!