3 Foundations of Wellbeing
Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash
Most of us know what we need to do to foster a sense of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. It’s easy for these foundations or building blocks to slip off our daily routine when the pressure is on, life gets busy and our stress levels increase. But this is actually when we need the foundations the most to navigate the stormy weather!
If you feel like you’re not living your best life and are struggling with stress, overwhelm, lack of direction or feeling stuck, go through each of the foundations below and answer the questions. You could even rate each foundation out of 10, with 1 being you’re struggling to 10 you’re on track with this foundation.
This isn’t an invitation to beat yourself up if some or all of your foundations are shaky. In fact it’s the perfect time to offer yourself some kindness and compassion. Getting a clear picture of where you are at helps identify potential areas to focus on for increased wellbeing.
Exercise
Without food, water or sleep we wouldn’t survive very long. So why exercise or movement first? Not because we can’t live without it, we actually can and many of us do. What’s the saying “sitting is the new smoking?!” I believe when we get more movement into our day, we sleep and eat better. It really does set off a chain reaction and kick start the other foundations.
Exercise boosts our mood, improves sleep and helps us manage stress, overwhelm and anxiety. Regular exercise can have a profound effect on our mental health and sense of self-worth. After a very sedentary two years of mulitple lockdowns, I can personally atest to this! After building more regular movement into my week I am sleeping more soundly, I feel happier, less stressed and more energetic.
The Australian guidelines recommend people aged 18-64 move most days, preferably every day.
Either 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity each week (brisk walk, golf, mowing the lawn, swimming) or
1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity (jogging, fast cycling, soccer or netball)
Plus include muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days each week (weights, push ups, squats, household tasks that include strengthening)
Exercise doesn’t have to be complicated. It might look like 2 minutes of yoga stretches or a walk around the block. Start small and build up. Starting small might mean lacing up your shoes and walking to the mailbox. It all counts! Exercise might be walking, swimming, tennis, yoga, hiking, jogging, cycling, or going to the gym. Find what works best for you and keep going!
Note: something is better than nothing at all.
Questions:
Are you moving your body most days?
Are you getting out in nature to exercise each week?
What do you think is holding you back the most?
Sleep
How good does it feel waking up after a good night sleep? The amount of sleep people need varies from person to person. If you’re living with a chronic health condition or experiencing significant stress, you may need more. The amount of quality, uninterrupted sleep each night the research recommends is:
Adults (aged 18+): 7-9 hours
Teenagers (aged 14-17): 8-10 hours
Children (aged 5-13): 9-11 hours
Sleep hygiene is important. That means having regular sleep and wake times, getting ready for bed by avoiding caffeine, switching off screens at least an hour before bed and having a cosy sleep environment (the right temperature, quiet and dark). If you have difficulty getting off to sleep or frequent waking there are things you can do. Cognitive and mindfulness based strategies can help, as well as meditation and EFT/tapping.
Note: the ideal sleeping temperature is between 17 to 19 degrees Celsius.
Questions:
On average how many hours of sleep are you getting each night?
Do you have difficulty getting off to sleep, falling back to sleep or experience frequent waking?
Is there anything you could do tonight to help improve your quality of sleep?
Nutrition (food and water)
The quality of the food and drink we consume also impacts our wellbeing. Similar to the first two foundations, almost all of us know what we need to eat. Sticking to it is another story!
The Australian dietary guidelines recommend eating a wide variety of nutritious foods from five groups every day.
Plenty of fruit and vegetables in a variety of colours
Grains and cereals (mostly wholegrain)
Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes and tofu
Milk, cheese, yoghurt (and/or their alternatives)
Plus drink plenty of water (8 cups for women and 10 cups per day for men)
Limit foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol
What you eat will be individual to you and depend on your preferences and also the presence of any health conditions. Some foods are anti-inflammatory. Research on the gut-brain connection and the influence of gut health on our mental health and brain function continues to highlight why eating a nutritious diet is so important.
Alcohol can also impact our health and our mood. The Australian guidelines recommend:
Healthy people should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.
The less you drink, the lower your risk of harm from alcohol is.
For some people, it’s safest not to drink at all.
Questions:
How balanced and nutritious is your diet?
Are you drinking between 8-10 cups of water per day?
How much alcohol do you drink each day and week?
These foundations truly are the building blocks to wellbeing. They support us in how we respond to stress, help us to cultivate calm and thrive (not just survive) in life. It can be difficult to stay on top of each of the foundations. Often stress leads us to unhealthy habits for short term gains. I’ve found having a habit tracker on my fridge helps me stay on track.
Track your foundations of wellbeing and other habits that cultivate calm. Download a free habit tracker here
If you’re having difficulty with any of these building blocks, get in touch to find out how I can help. Book a free discovery call
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