Living a long and healthy life takes conscious effort. That effort is often referred to in terms of the dimensions of wellness. While experts have varying ideas on the number of dimensions and their names, they typically agree on six core factors.
The six dimensions of wellness commonly cited are:
- occupational
- social
- physical
- spiritual
- emotional
- intellectual
These dimensions are interconnected and important to a healthy life. Let’s look at each one in more detail.
Understanding the Dimensions of Wellness
- Occupational: This dimension is one people might be surprised to see. While it does relate to career and job satisfaction, the underlying issue is the importance of feeling productive. Sharing your unique strengths and talents is vital to feeling empowered and positive about life. It’s at the core of meaningful living.
- Social: Staying actively engaged with the world is another factor that can help you live a healthier life. That’s partly due to the power of friendships in our lives. They keep us connected and feeling less alone. Loneliness is a health risk for seniors that contributes to problems like depression, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Socialization also stimulates the brain, keeping cognitive skills intact longer.
- Physical: Most of us have heard firsthand from a physician how important it is to engage in physical activity at least 30 minutes a day five or six days a week. But the physical dimension of wellness also includes eating a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco and excess alcohol, and following doctor’s orders regarding health screenings.
- Spiritual: With aging typically comes an increased need to explore and nurture the spirit. It isn’t exclusively limited to organized religion. Some people nurture the spirit and connect with a higher power through gardening, meditation, journaling, and yoga. Finding your own path to peace can allow you to age feeling happier and less anxious about what lies ahead.
- Emotional: The emotional wellness dimension encourages people to connect with their innermost feelings. Be open and honest about fears, frustrations, and your overall place in life. Sometimes this requires addressing old issues, such as family feuds and disagreements that have gone unresolved for years.
- Intellectual: Just like the body needs a regular workout, so does the mind. In younger days, the brain is stimulated through schoolwork and career. During retirement, it might take more effort to continue learning and growing intellectually. Volunteer work, creative art classes, a book club, and reading are just a few ways to keep the brain engaged.
Learn More about Wellness at Sunrise
From our commitment to providing residents with meaningful life enrichment activities to the nutritious meals we serve each day, wellness is a focus of everyday life at Sunrise.
We invite you to call the Sunrise Senior Living community nearest you to schedule a private tour today!