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Physical & practical building blocks to wellness

Creator: @LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS

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Physical & practical building blocks to wellness

In his classic book, Motivation and Personality, American psychologist Dr. Abraham Maslow outlines his theory, Hierarchy of Needs. This theory emphasises that to achieve health and healing, humans have a number of needs that must be met which include nutrition, sleep and exercise. These basic needs must be met before we can focus on other areas of life. They are our foundation. So today we’ll focus on some of those primary needs: sleep, nutrition, exercise, and connection.

Research shows that our physical health and mental health operate in tandem. Therefore, any trouble we currently have with sleep difficulties, not exercising, or eating a balanced diet can put us at risk for a lower quality of life and can put us at risk of developing mental health challenges or worsening current symptoms. As humans, we’re also wired for connection. We crave the feeling of being supported and valued. We know that feeling socially connected to even one other person lowers levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Let’s dive into this deeper, and learn how to apply this to our own healing journey.

Foundations of healing, mental & physical health

Take a look at Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs diagram Study the first level of the pyramid, “physiological needs.” Ask yourself these questions to check in and see if all of your basic needs are being met:

  • Am I sleeping ok?
  • Do I have a warm, safe place to live?
  • Do I drink enough water?
  • Am I eating foods that fuel me?
  • Am I regularly getting outside and breathing fresh air?
  • Am I feeling connected to at least one other person?

If one of these basic building blocks of health and healing is not being met, I encourage you to prioritise taking action on starting this today. Ensuring your physiological needs are met before tackling anything else will set you up for the most success in healing. For example, if you’ve been feeling so anxious that you can’t sleep properly — and wake up feeling exhausted — what’s one action you can take today to move toward sleeping soundly? Can you put your phone away 20 minutes before you go to sleep, or listen to calming music before bedtime?

For more inspiration, check out this self-care wheel

Credit: Olga Pheonix 2013

What ideas for self-care could you implement in your life starting today?

What strategies can you use to focus on getting adequate rest, eating nutritious food, incorporating physical activity, spending time outside, and connecting to others?