When people hear the word "health", the first thing that comes to their mind is often about the physical state of the person, like they define a person as healthy if they are physically fit and do not have any signs of injury. Well, can't really blame people for that way of thinking because of how social media shapes our thinking with all those fitness gurus focus on teaching how to lose weight and build muscles, as well as with how our physical state is easily visible and tangible to others. However, health is not limited to one's physical state. To consider a person as truly "healthy", they should be healthy not only physically but also mentally. It means that a person also needs to be able to handle the stresses of life and think clearly in every situation. Physical and mental health are connected with one another and should not be neglected for the other. Sad to say, not many have the perseverance to take care of their physical health, and not many people care about their mental health, so striking a balance between both makes it more difficult, but it doesn't mean it's impossible. Here are things that people can start to do to become physically and mentally healthy.
To begin your road to being both physically and mentally healthy, I think the first step that a person needs to take is to have proper sleep. Physically, it will allow our body to repair and strengthen the immune system, while mentally, it helps to regulate our emotions and better our mood. Sleeping also does not cost very much aside from maybe an investment in a good bed and pillow, and it is something we do every day, making it an easy start.
After taking a good rest, the next step you can take is to exercise regularly. It does not need to be long, or for you to go to the gym or have gym tools. Just try to engage in regular activities like walking and running for about 30 minutes, about 2-3 times a week, for starters. Physically, it will help to maintain weight, strengthen the heart and lungs, and improve muscle endurance, while mentally, it helps to boost self-esteem and reduce stress. Working on a white collar job, I do not have much opportunity to spend my energy, so even when I am mentally worn out, physically, I'm still full of energy, making it difficult for me to sleep before, but ever since working out, I have been able to sleep better. So much to say that the first and second step goes hand in hand.
After doing some workout, it will be obvious that we will get hungry, so the third step was to eat a balanced meal. This means that your food must have macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber in proper amounts. Just like the other steps, it helps to strengthen the immune system while also reducing the risk of depression. Of course, I would not say that you can not to eat any other food, but always eat them in moderation.
If you look at the steps that I talked about, they were simple things that will help a person to be physically and mentally healthy, making them very well-rounded. I think the real issue is that many people just don't have the commitment to doing what's best for their overall well-being. Like, people make excuses that they do not have enough time for these activities, and yet, they spend a lot of time on social media or other unproductive things. Again, I'm not saying that people should completely stop those things, but like anything else, they should do it in moderation. So rather than striking a balance between one's physical and mental health, it's better to say that what people need is to strike a balance between their overall well-being, their leisure, and responsibilities.
Thank you for reading my post, and see you in the next one!
