Am I Healthy? – Part 3.
The concept of health is different for everyone. The idea that we are not sick doesn’t necessarily mean that we are healthy so we should ideally assess our health before we show symptoms of ill health.
The last two week’s podcasts covered questions around how we feel about food and is our diet varied as well as how we feel when we eat certain foods and how much energy we have. This week we will look at the next three questions, which are:
- What is your fitness level?
- How do you feel on an emotional level?
- What is your quality of sleep like?
What is your fitness level?
Can you easily walk up a flight of stairs or do moderate exercise without finding yourself breathless and exhausted? Are you active on a daily basis and do you include exercise in your daily routine? The average person sits for a large part of their day so ideally we would want to try and do short activities during the day between set exercise sessions. Find exercise that makes you feel good. Combine strength and aerobic exercises to maintain flexibility, fitness levels, bone density, and muscle mass.
How do you feel on an emotional level?
Mental health is vitally important for our overall wellbeing. A low mood or anxiety can be an indicator that something is out of balance on a physical level. Our mood is not necessarily confined to our heads and so mental health cannot be separated from physical health. Make an effort to connect with others, build friendships, and interact with people regularly. To the point above, exercise increases endorphins, which helps our mood and so movement is vital for us emotionally.
What is your quality of sleep like?
Do you sleep well throughout the night and wake up refreshed in the morning? Poor sleep quality can be linked to several health issues. If our sleep is not refreshing our brain function can be impaired and it can also affect our energy and mood. Our lifestyles can also be too busy, and we can stay up later than we should. If we regularly deny our bodies the sleep it needs it will cause health issues. Blue light disrupts the production of sleep hormones so aim to have some wind-down time away from the TV, laptop or cell phone before going to bed. It is also so important to manage stress. If you are prone to waking in the night, keep a notepad next to your bed to write the thoughts down so that you can remember your thoughts or process your feelings in the morning when you are feeling fresh and rested.
Listen to my interview with Brad Kirsten from Radio Cape Pulpit on 27 April 2023 to learn more. Listen to my next interview on Thursday at 7.45am