Health and Wellness are terms having different meanings and yet under the same umbrella. What really separates the two terms?
Often times when people talk about being fit, terms like health and wellness come along. But it gets difficult to understand when they have been merged in to one term. According to WHO, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Meanwhile wellness is “the active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life”. They’re not two terms opposite, but neither are they synonymous. In other words, if health is the goal then wellness is the way to achieve it.
HOW DO HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIFFER?
Health is about staying physically and mentally fit. Exercising regularly, staying active, eating healthy food, taking medicines and vitamins on time, controlling body weight and getting adequate amounts of sleep is what encloses the term ‘health’. It refers to a physical body staying free from illness or diseases.
Wellness is a more all-encompassing subject where not just your physical and mental being matters, but other aspects like spiritual, emotional, social, occupational and environmental do too. It is more of a way of living where each aspect has to be in sync to achieve a sense of wellbeing.
Emotional wellness includes practicing positivity, optimism, mindfulness and content. Spiritual wellness is what shapes our values, morals, beliefs, virtues, purpose and perspective. It doesn’t necessarily mean religion; it’s more about understanding yourself as you learn and introspect. Occupational wellness deals with our careers and work life and environmental wellness relates to how conscious you are of the environment and planet.
Essentially health considers two matters i.e. physical and mental while wellness considers all aspects i.e. social, spiritual and such. Health is the outcome of wellness.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN CORPORATES
When it comes to corporate wellness, employee’s health and wellness impacts the work productivity.
While informing about wellness we take health along with it. Introducing ideas like drinking water instead of soda, taking walks instead of sitting during breaks, making eco-friendly choices and even arrange trainers and therapists. It’s a good kind of ripple effect where employees remain healthy and account for less sick leaves, thereby increasing their overall productivity. Ultimately, the company’s cost over healthcare becomes more stable.
If both body and mind are free from diseases, then one is healthy. Wellness is the optimal state of health individuals and groups, and is also expressed as a positive approach to living.
