Physical, emotional and social wellbeing
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.
Physical health
Good physical health is linked to fitness – being able to perform effectively the physical tasks involved in life as well as sport. Being physically healthy includes:
- enjoying being physically active
- having good balance, coordination and agility in everyday tasks as well as sport
- having the strength, stamina and suppleness required for daily life, work and play
- having fewer illnesses, diseases and injuries
Emotional health
Emotional – or mental – health is linked to personal wellbeing – feeling positive about yourself. Being emotionally healthy includes:
- having self-esteem and self-respect
- being able to recognise and express feelings
- being able to manage emotions to suit the situation
- recognising and managing the factors that affect emotions
- feeling positive about life (which includes feeling useful and being optimistic about the future)
Social health
Social health also contributes to wellbeing – feeling positive about interactions with other people and the wider world. Being socially healthy includes:
- being able to interact with a range of people and having a sense of belonging
- having respect, empathy and tolerance for other people
- being able to manage emotions to suit the situation
- recognising and managing the effects of actions on others
- being aware of rights and responsibilities
Positive lifestyle choices – the benefits
Positive lifestyle choices include:
- taking part regularly in physical activity
- eating a balanced diet
- getting sufficient sleep
- balancing school/work and other commitments
- making time for relaxation and leisure pursuits
- having good personal hygiene
- recognising the emotional, social and physical implications of sexual relationships
- avoiding or minimising harmful risks, eg smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs
- managing risks in the wider environment, eg road safety, in the home
- seeking information about or support for concerns, eg friends, family, doctor, teacher
Benefits
A healthy lifestyle offers two types of benefits – things people want to gain, for example increased mobility, and things people want to prevent, for example becoming overweight which may result in longer term health issues. People are often motivated more by gains than by prevention. Benefits may be immediate and long-term.
Negative lifestyle choices – the implications
Making negative lifestyle choices can be active – something people do – or passive – something people choose not or neglect to do. They include:
- not doing enough physical activity
- being too sedentary, ie sitting or lying down for long periods
- having an unhealthy diet, eg eating too much or too little, eating too much fat/sugar/salt
- not getting enough sleep or having erratic sleep patterns
- smoking
- abusing alcohol, ie drinking too much and/or too often
- misusing substances, eg taking drugs, using performance-enhancing drugs, overusing prescription or over-the-counter drugs
- self-harming
- taking unnecessary harmful risks, eg having unprotected sex, driving over the speed limit
- ignoring signs and symptoms of illness or emotional strain
The effects
A negative lifestyle affects the body and mind. The negative effects can be short-term and long-term. They may also affect others, for example, someone’s children. Generally, people are more motivated to change their behaviour to gain positive benefits than to avoid negative effects, especially when the negative effects may not appear until far into the future.
Health benefits of physical activity
All three aspects of health can be positively influenced by physical activity.
Physical health benefits include:
- Injury – regular physical activity can strengthen and tone muscles, strengthen bones and joints and keep the body mobile and more flexible. All of these things reduce the risk of injury.
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) – physical activity improves cardiovascular fitness and keeps the heart, lungs and blood vessels strong and healthy, reducing the risk of CHD.
- Blood pressure (hypertension) – physical activity lowers blood pressure by strengthening the heart and cardiovascular system and improving circulation.
- Bone density – weight bearing exercise increases bone density. This is especially important for older people to reduce the impact of osteoporosis and help prevent bone breakages after falls.
- Obesity – physical activity helps to prevent or reduce obesity as it uses up calories (over a period of time, if more calories are used up than taken in, body weight will decrease).
- Type 2 diabetes – physical activity increases the amount of glucose used by the muscles for energy, so it helps lower blood glucose levels. Being active also helps the body to use insulin more efficiently, and regular activity can help reduce the amount of insulin diabetics have to take.
- Posture – physical activity helps strengthen the core or postural muscles and mobilises the spine, keeping it flexible and alleviating back pain. Exercise also increases awareness of body position and improves motivation and confidence which can help with posture.
- Fitness – regular physical activity improves fitness so the body is more resilient and less prone to injury in both sport and everyday life. The ability to withstand and recover from illness is also related to fitness.
Emotional health benefits include:
- Self-esteem and confidence – completion or success in an activity can give a sense of satisfaction. Self-esteem is increased by doing well or sticking to an exercise or training routine.
- Stress management – exercise and physical activity can be enjoyable. Dynamic exercise or more intense physical activity can relieve tension and stress.
- Image – when people exercise they may feel happier due to a release of endorphins into the body, and see the long term health benefits on their appearance.
Social health benefits include:
- Friendship – friendships increase as participants make friends with other members of the club, group or class.
- Belonging to a group – feeling of belonging gained from a common experience or shared activity.
- Loneliness – less loneliness and isolation experienced and participation can lead to other interests and friendships beyond the activity.