Your mental health is also a key component to your overall health and wellness .
● Create habits , not results : Focus on the new behaviour you want to achieve , not the outcome . For example , if you want to lose ten pounds by summer , focus on eating clean and exercising . That ’ s more effective than just focusing on a number on the scale .
● Remember that small things can make a big difference : Park your car a little farther from where you need to go , and walk the rest of the way . Take the stairs instead of the elevator . Think of each step as working toward a healthier you . Ditch the diet drinks and drink water instead .
When people think of a healthier lifestyle , they tend to think of just physical health . Your mental health is also a key component of your overall health and wellness . Physical and mental health are very closely linked . If you have poor mental health , you are at greater risk for developing chronic health conditions , and people with chronic health conditions are at a greater risk of developing mental health issues . Maintaining good physical health can have a significant impact on mental health . Regular physical exercise increases the release of endorphins in the brain , which help to improve symptoms of anxiety and depression , relieve tension in the body , reduce stress , and increase overall mood .
Connection with others is also important to maintaining or improving your mental health . Having a network of friends and family to lean on will help with feelings of loneliness and isolation . Your network can consist of family and close friends , as well as teammates and classmates . Consider joining a team or a club , taking a class , or joining a hobby group to connect with like-minded people with similar interests .
Another key component to better physical and mental health is sleep . Sleep is essential to every process in the human body . It affects our physical and mental functioning and helps our ability to fight infection , heart disease , and obesity .
There are times when we will make choices that we know are not good for us . One of the hardest things to do is to forgive ourselves and get back on track . Small hiccups don ’ t make you a failure ; they make you human . Just get back into your healthy routine . Get back to your small changes , back to your positive behaviours , and right back to achieving your desired outcome .
ARTACares is included at no additional cost with all ARTA Benefit Plans and is provided by HumanaCare , an Alberta-based health and wellness provider with more than thirty-five years of Canadian health care experience . For more information on health and wellness topics , webinars , and articles , visit your
eldercare portal . news & views AUTUMN 2022 | 51