What does being physically and emotionally healthy entail?
According to the QL Index, there are five main spheres of your life that contribute to a healthy individual:
- Movement
- Sleep
- Emotional health
- Nutrition
- Balance
Movement
Movement includes aerobic exercise and generally being more active than sedentary. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that healthy adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. How you divide those minutes up throughout the week is largely up to you. The main thing is that you do it.
Sleep
The health benefits of sleep cannot be underestimated. Getting a good night’s sleep on a consistent basis can lead to:
- Reduced stress
- Elevated mood
- Improved memory
- Reduced risk of certain cancers
- Boosted immune system
- Lower blood pressure
- Weight maintenance
Emotional Health
Taking control of your emotional health can be challenging, especially for the multi-tasking parent who is so busy taking care of everyone else’s needs that they barely have time to ask themselves, “What do I need?” However, taking the time to invest in your emotional health can have tremendous paybacks. You can do this through nurturing your relationships, seeing a mental health professional, spending time outside, or carving out time in your schedule for self-care.
Nutrition
If you look in the mirror and don’t feel good about yourself, your family members will know it and bear the brunt of your displeasure. Nutrition is crucial in helping you maintain a positive body image, even more so than exercise. Not only will a properly balanced diet help you feel good about the way you look, but it will help you feel good physically. When you reduce the amount of chemicals and sugar you consume, your body simply functions better. Your children, by the way, will learn from the good example you set.
Balance
After all is said and done, everyone needs to find the life balance that works for them. This includes the work-life balance, the family-friends balance, the sleep-socialize balance, etc. Since you know yourself best, it’s up to you to decide what your priorities are and what can be left until tomorrow. When you achieve a balance that you feel comfortable with, your entire family can enjoy riding on the coattails of your calm and collected demeanor.
Taking Care of Your Family
As you can see, when you take care of your health in a comprehensive way, you are also taking care of your family. Another way to take care of your family is to have a life insurance policy in place in case the worst should happen. Unfortunately, even the healthiest, happiest people are not always spared from disaster. Life insurance is the easiest, most efficient way to provide financial protection to your loved ones.
