Comprehensive well-being consists of rest, exercise, diet and mental energy. Humans are complex entities, and if one of the building blocks of well-being is missing, the whole system is impaired. This page includes articles and ideas about well-being by Mehiläinen’s experts.
‘Well-being is fundamentally about being aware of your own self and in control of your life. If your life is controlled by external stress factors such as e-mail correspondence, chores, hurry and deadlines, you may experience lack of control and stress,’ says Pippa Laukka, specialist in sports and exercise medicine.
At Mehiläinen, we provide our patients comprehensive treatment instead of focusing solely on the disease or symptoms. The causes of the symptoms are examined carefully by professional physicians, but other important elements of life, such as ways of life and stress levels, are also analysed. Learn more about our experts and consult the chat personnel of our online appointment booking service to find the appropriate expert, if necessary.
Sleep
Sleep and rest are simple yet sometimes neglected elements of well-being. Our daily lives can be so deeply afflicted by hurry that there does not seem to be enough time for sleep and rest.
Sufficient sleep not only supports our ability to cope, but it also affects other areas of life. People who sleep well are able to exercise in a healthy manner and achieve better results. Rested people are also more energetic and effective in their work as they are able to think straight and focus better.
Even if the need for sleep varies between individuals, everyone should get enough sleep throughout the week. Sleeping heavily on weekends is not enough to maintain an ideal level of alertness throughout the week. Conversely, it can mess up the entire rhythm of sleep.
Diet
How we eat affects our daily level of alertness, energy intake, mobility, body and quality of sleep. There is a wide range of recommendations and special diets regarding nutrition and eating, and sometimes it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of alternatives.
Learning more about nutritional recommendations is a good way of balancing your diet. You can use these recommendations to fill your plate and adjust your eating rhythm, but remember to give yourself some leeway. It is better to accept the fact that changing your eating habits is going to take some time. Replace treats and snacks slowly with other enjoyable things that support your well-being. Following a strict diet does not necessarily guarantee well-being, if eating itself causes stress and self-reproach.
Exercising
It is important to listen to your body when engaging in physical activities. Although the aim of exercising and sports can be to achieve goals and improve your results, compulsiveness will not support the beneficial effects of exercising. Compulsiveness may cause an unhealthy need to control how much you eat or exercise or to exercise even if you have the common cold or you are recovering from a stress injury.
Read more:
How to eat healthy. A healthy diet is a part of your well-being
Recovery
Mental and physical recovery after a workday or exercising are vital for comprehensive well-being. Constant, long-term stress may disrupt the balance of body and mind.
The power of thought
It is said that by changing your attitude and way of thinking, you can affect your mental well-being. Positive thinking supports positive decisions and behaviour. Positive motivation can be detected by others, and their perspective on you will also be affected.
Learn more about an expert’s ideas about the power positive thinking
Mental well-being and stress
Sometimes your mind may not feel very well, and it is advisable to address the issue. Read these articles that will teach you how to identify the symptoms of stress, depression, fatigue and anxiety. There is a lot you can do to recover from these conditions, and if necessary, you can talk with a general practitioner, occupational health physician, psychotherapist, psychologist or an occupational health psychologist. Talking with an expert will help you understand yourself and control your well-being.
Read more:
Mental health problems
Mental health problems are more severe conditions than temporary melancholy, stress or anxiety that require help. It is important to identify mental health problems as early as possible.