Eat, Move, Sleep: Physical Well-being

For more than 30 years, physical activity was the main focus of worksite health promotion. Step challenges and on-site yoga went hand-in-hand with weight-loss initiatives. Together, they made up “wellness at work.”

With the move toward total well-being, more employers are broadening their services into other important parts work-life balance. By studying 98 percent of the world’s people, Gallup  has defined the common basics of well-being: physical, career, social, financial and community.

By Gallup’s meaning, physical well-being means having good health and enough energy to do the things you need and want to do. What’s more, having plenty of energy involves keeping an eye on what you eat, how much you move and how well you sleep.

What You Eat

Many believe in the Blue Zones  philosophy to eat real food. Cooking a meal yourself is fun and a good family activity. It also helps you keep an eye on what you and your family are eating. Meals are meant to be enjoyed. When you cook meals yourself, you don’t have to worry so much about what’s on the plate because you know what went in the pot.

How You Move

Not too long ago, research revealed the dangers of sitting all day. The news was and still is alarming since many of us spend hours and hours sitting at work. Now we know it’s important to find ways to put normal movement back into our days.

How Well You Sleep

Sleep is rejuvenation is vital for many parts of well-being. Our emotions, stress levels and mental stability are all touched by the amount of sleep and quality of sleep we get.

Sleep is also the time our body heals itself. Did you know your heart and blood vessels fix themselves while you sleep? Short-change yourself on sleep and your body pays a dangerous price. In fact, an ongoing lack of sleep is linked to many health problems. Diabetes, obesity, heart disease and stroke are a few.

Sleep supports a healthy immune system, along with growth and development. Hormones released during deep sleep boost muscle mass and repair cells and tissues in children, teens and adults.

So how can you improve your sleep? For starters, prioritize sleep. Create a calm, soothing space for slumber. Develop a bedtime routine that includes quiet time, soothing music or reading. Avoid eating and drinking, staring at a screen  and workouts close to bedtime.

Be good to yourself. By eating healthy foods, moving your body more and putting good sleep first, you care for important parts of your total well-being.

Sources: What Wellbeing Means in the Coronavirus Era,  Gallup, 2020; Live Longer, Better,  Blue Zones; Blue Light Has a Dark Side,  Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, 2020.

Originally published 7/22/2016; Revised 2021, 2023