Well being meaning
What is well-being? Well-being is a state that we all seek to achieve to a greater or lesser extent. It is directly linked, in different proportions depending on the individual, to several factors in our personal lives. First of all, our pleasure of course, our health, our comfort, our material success, our self-realization, and finally our harmony with ourselves, other individuals and our environment.
We can differentiate between physical well-being and psychological well-being. Physical well-being refers to general physiological health and the satisfaction of the body's essential needs. Psychological well-being is a more subjective personal component. This distinction reminds us of the ever-present Latin motto "Mens sana in corpore sano", for those of us who aspire to well-being, the more rational counterpart or just the first step to happiness.
It is therefore advisable to take advantage of the levers available to care for one's health, and to improve one's mind and quality of life. Because if some factors are difficult to control, like social success for example or the success of a love relationship, others are completely within our reach: Take care of our health by paying attention to our nutrition, our sleep and our living space. Avoid stress, create a direct environment conducive to psychological balance, by taking care of its decoration, by ensuring a good arrangement of furniture, by choosing its linen, etc...
We will therefore see together in this guide all that we can do to improve our daily well-being.
A HEALTHY INTERIOR FOR YOUR WELL-BEING
The well-being of each person is therefore his psychological and physiological well-being. For the latter, the direct environment will play a major role in the health and therefore the quality of life of a person. It is therefore necessary to take care of the place in which one evolves a large part of one's time, one's living space, in order to avoid exposure to harmful elements.
These domestic threats take many forms, from parasites, dust, to the very composition of our household products... All of this causes more or less irreversible health problems, such as allergies, respiratory diseases, etc...
It is advisable to attack each of these sources of problems to ensure a healthy house and a maximum well-being in its place of life.
Getting rid of dust mites
Dust mites exist everywhere in our living spaces, even in the cleanest of interiors. Microscopic beings, they have the unfortunate tendency to trigger allergic reactions in some people. Sneezing, itching, this allergy can be a serious blow to your daily well-being, but also in the long term on your respiratory health with the development of polyps for example.
To reduce their number or simply make them disappear, there are several ways to do so, and it is often necessary to combine them. High temperatures (over 55°C), acaricides, reduction of humidity and heating of the room. It will also be necessary to separate from the "niches" for mites such as cushions or stuffed animals.
Allergies, poisons of your daily well-being
Pollen is the most common allergy, but allergy can also be a reaction to certain medications, certain foods and can therefore have a lasting effect on your health and well-being, or even cost you your life, for the most virulent allergies.
Allergy is a hyper reaction of the immune system. Our immune defenses, our antibodies are there to wage war against bacteria. If the immune system goes into overdrive, it will produce antibodies against elements that are not necessarily threats such as peanuts or pollen.
As a remedy, the first thing to do is to consult a doctor for a diagnosis. Antihistamines for the emergency and desensitization, on a longer term, are part of the solutions.
The health and proliferation of fungi
The development of fungi or plant fungi in our homes is often summarized as the proliferation of mold, these microscopic fungi that thrive in humidity and spaces not properly ventilated, can become a nightmare and invade a building. They cause wood to rot, can damage the structure of the home and most importantly are a danger to your health and well-being. They cause diseases and allergies, the people most affected are as often the fragile people from a respiratory or immune point of view (elderly, pregnant women, babies, asthmatics ...)
To fight against these fungi, there is of course the solution of applying a fungicide. You can buy it in the shops, or make your own natural fungicide. For what is commonly known as saltpetre on walls, there are various treatments, it is up to you to see which one is the most appropriate for your situation.
Toxic products in everyday life
Our well-being is challenged daily by our consumption habits. Indeed, if we are not careful, we do not realize that we are surrounded by consumer goods containing toxic products for our body, with its share of allergic reactions in the short term, and more serious disease such as cancer in the long term.
Whether it is the toxic fumes from our bed linen that we breathe in every night or our children's toys made from toxic plastics.
Cleaning products are also a very good illustration. In advertisements and in supermarkets, we are offered household products that are extremely effective, but above all extremely toxic for humans and the environment.
Fortunately, there are many 100% natural substitutes, from grandma's recipe with baking soda to organic household products. All these invisible threats require an awareness of the consumer to avoid endangering his health on a daily basis and affect his well-being and physical integrity in the long term.
LIVE ZEN FOR OUR WELL-BEING
As far as mental well-being is concerned, there are different means at our disposal, more or less effective depending on the person, in order to promote a good balance of the spirit and to be zen.
The direct environment will also play an important role in this balance, as well as a certain way of life that proposes to avoid parasiting our psychological well-being as much as possible. It is a matter of doing everything possible to live Zen.
The benefits of Feng Shui
There is much to learn from other cultures and their way of understanding personal well-being. Feng Shui is a very good example, this ancestral Taoist method of Chinese origin which aims to harmonize the energy of a place in order to promote the physical, moral and intellectual plenitude of its inhabitants, the well-being thus.
To do this, it is necessary to act judiciously on the layout of our living environment, to arrange the habitat according to the 5 elements (fire, earth, metal, water and wood) and the balance between the 2 opposite forces which are the Ying and the Yang, to obtain a balance of the forces and the circulation of the energy.
In practice, as far as the layout of your home is concerned, each room must adopt certain rules in order to respect the circulation of energy and the balance favorable to the activity of the room. For example, the bed in the room should not be directly in front of the door, there should be no electrical installation or computer in the room, or the television should be next to a green plant in order to eliminate negative waves.
Relaxation to regain well-being
For optimum well-being and to ensure a zen life, it is necessary to manage and regulate one's emotions, anxiety and stress. To do so, it is possible with relaxation exercises and methods to influence one's mind and way of living.
Relaxation can take different forms, from deep breathing to meditation, reflexology and sophrology. When practiced regularly, relaxation teaches us to listen to our body, our emotions and our mind. It can even allow us to modify our negative patterns and settle down in a controlled well-being.
External massages are also considered as relaxation, they can allow the relaxation of muscles and thus the disappearance of physical tensions, which will have for consequence to release the mental.
Balance regained through yoga
Also in the search of balance between body and mind, Yoga is a practice from India aiming, through meditation and body exercises, to achieve the unification of the human being in its physical, psychic and spiritual aspects.
Relatively recent in the Western landscape, it is now well established, courses are available everywhere and are aimed at the elderly, pregnant women, children, people wishing to fight against stress.
Even if you are a healthy adult, the regular practice of yoga can help you improve your sense of well-being. Yoga is one of the practices that most exemplifies the Roman motto "a healthy mind in a healthy body" stating that a healthy body is absolutely essential for mental and spiritual evolution.
The yoga we know consists of breathing exercises and postures (there are over 1,000). These postures often have evocative names, the tree, the cobra, etc... And their degree of difficulty is progressive. The most famous posture is the lotus (sitting cross-legged) which is often used for meditation. You can try Delphine's morning yoga routine to be in shape all day.
Zen decoration
We know that our living space, our direct environment, directly affects our quality of life, our mood, our balance and our daily well-being. Thus, in the manner of Feng Shiu and the layout of the house, taking care of the decoration of one's home is a way to influence one's feeling. Who has not experienced a feeling of well-being when entering a room with a particular decoration, or conversely a feeling of uneasiness, and suffocation, in a room with a busy and garish decoration.
In addition to the aspects of interior design that are related to the fashion of the moment, there are still independent trends that guarantee a feeling of "zenitube" and well-being. The use of non-aggressive colors, such as light pastels, beiges, etc... The white symbol of purity which diffuses the light in the best way and guarantees a maximum impression of clarity in the house. Also a pure decoration with a minimum of visible objects, promotes the impression of general order.
Also, one should not hesitate to integrate elements of Feng Shui in the decoration for the choice of materials for example, or for the addition of water or green plants. There is no doubt that Zen decoration is the plus that will allow you to reach well-being when you move in your home.
Slowlife as a philosophy of life
In a society where everything is going faster and faster, where everyone is permanently connected, where urban centers are swarming, where one piece of information is chasing another, where consumer habits are moving more and more towards immediacy, where applications allow us to know if we should get in the front of the metro to make our connection as fast as possible, and others that provide us with a cab just by clicking a button... Some people have chosen to take the opposite side of this urban lifestyle and for their well-being to adopt the "slow life".
The "slow life" is to take the time to appreciate life, to let go of the small material worries of everyday life. Reducing expectations to avoid frustration.
More than a philosophy of life, it is about taking time to avoid unnecessary stress, even if it means deliberately choosing the side roads, the slowest solutions, even if it means building a haven of peace where the madness of the world does not affect us or putting into practice the proverb "the important thing is the journey, not the destination.
BETTER SLEEP: NO WELL-BEING WITHOUT SLEEP
Big or small sleeper, early riser or late sleeper, we all have different needs in relation to sleep. What remains true for everyone is that sleep is absolutely essential for one's health and well-being. Beyond problems of alertness during the day, poor quality sleep can lead to long-term hypertension, obesity, diabetes, emotional disorders and immune deficiency.
Quality sleep allows our body to recover physically and psychologically, and to rebuild its immune defenses against threats such as viruses and bacteria. However, it is often the last wheel of the carriage in terms of the attention paid to its health. This is an opportunity to understand how sleep works and what you can do to sleep better.
Optimize your sleep cycles
The course of a night's sleep is not linear, it is composed of sleep cycles (3 to 5) of 90 minutes on average depending on the person. Each of these cycles includes several phases whose importance varies during the night.
- Falling asleep: slower breathing, relaxed muscles.
- Light slow wave sleep: 50% of our sleep time, it is the transition between the waking state and deep sleep. During this phase, a slight noise can wake you up.
- Deep slow wave sleep: 20% of the total sleep, it is the moment of physical recovery.
- REM sleep: 25% of the sleep cycle, the period of dreams, where many psychological skills are built. This phase ends the cycle.
But how to avoid "breaking" the sleep cycle, and feeling a great fatigue due to incongruous waking during the night? Apart from sleep pathologies, which deserve a diagnosis by a specialist, a good way not to be woken up in the middle of deep or REM sleep is to get a device (a watch for example) which detects physical external signs and wakes you up at the end of the complete cycle.
The temperature, a determining factor for quality sleep
Temperature also plays an essential role in our well-being, and this is also true during our sleep. Everyone remembers bad nights in hot weather or waking up because the partner has wrapped himself or herself in the comforter leaving us helpless in the cold. These are the most obvious examples, but in order to get the best possible sleep, we must respect certain natural rules.
Sleep is first of all linked to our internal body temperature. At around 37 degrees, it drops by one degree during the night according to our biological clock. The natural drop in temperature in the evening therefore biologically favors falling asleep, hence the interest in having a slightly lower temperature in the bedroom than in the living areas.
The temperature of the body envelope should be around 30-32°. This is the ideal thermal comfort temperature for a good quality of sleep. A "thermal niche" that we create in our sheets, and which once established favors sleepiness.
Neither too hot nor too cold, it is therefore established that an ideal temperature for your room is around 18 degrees, good for your sleep and your breathing, it is however necessary to warm your body envelope up to 30-32° for a good quality of sleep and an optimal well-being the day come.
The direct relationship between bedding and daily well-being
Whether you're camping, on a friend's couch or on the train, you sleep less well than in your own bed. This is obvious to everyone, yet many people still neglect the quality of their bedding, overlooking the fact that the difference between average and good bedding is decisive for the quality of your sleep and therefore your daily well-being.
Of course, good bedding comes at a price, but anyone who has taken the plunge will tell you that it is an essential investment in your health. And for those who see things from a completely economic point of view, the money spent on your mattress and box spring will be more than paid back by increased productivity during the day.
Your ideal bedding will be determined by testing, the choice of mattress, pillow, bed size, etc... Is of course subjective and depends on the person.
The food-sleep link
The causes of sleep disorders are numerous and lead to an alteration of our well-being. Among them, we often forget to consider what we put on our plates. What we eat also has a direct impact on the quality of sleep, there are foods that promote a good quality of sleep, others that should be avoided. Excitants such as tea, coffee and cola-based drinks contain caffeine, which acts on the nervous system, and should be avoided in the afternoon, as they still act several hours later. Chocolate contains a molecule also close to caffeine.
Slow or fast sugars, in reasonable quantities, would also help sleep. Moreover, sailors on boats eat something sweet when they need to rest, because sugar does provoke a revival of activity, and it is not necessary to wait more than 10-15 minutes before the revival causes drowsiness.
Finally, since sleep requires a relatively low internal temperature, the body in the middle of digestion produces a lot of heat and will have difficulty regulating this temperature You should therefore not eat too much, choose a light menu (forget carbohydrates, fried foods, cheese) and wait at least 1 or even 2 hours after the meal before going to bed.
Light and our quality of sleep
To optimize our well-being, we must listen to our biological clock, which synchronizes with light, sending signals of activity or wakefulness.
The light at the beginning of the day triggers the activation of alertness, memory, temperature, the cardiovascular system, muscles, etc... The activity during the day conditions the sleep during the night. Light perceived at night gives our internal clock a contradictory signal and causes difficulties in falling asleep and an alteration in the quality of sleep.
A classic example today is the use of the computer before going to bed. This signal is repeated every night and ends up delaying the biological clock and therefore causing difficulties in falling asleep. In the same way that sleeping with a permanent light, even a weak one, causes a fragmentation of sleep, difficulties to fall asleep again, and therefore a poor quality of sleep.
NUTRITION: THE BASIS FOR GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
During our development, and until the adult period, we learned to read, to write, then to drive, we learned a trade, these are not innate things. But we never learned to eat...
And yet, our diet determines our health, our physical and mental performance, our daily well-being. Our metabolism is at the heart of our health, when it is weakened, alterations in our quality of life appear: weight gain or loss, fatigue, stress, sleep disorders, etc...
Paying attention to our diet is taking care of our body envelope, and as we have seen above, the ancestral cultures of humanity have well emphasized the need to care for a balance between body and mind for its personal well-being. To know everything about healthy nutrition.
Foods and their contribution to the body
We all have a tendency to prefer certain types of food according to our current desires and taste and rarely according to their contribution to our body. However, this could have a beneficial effect on our activity and our well-being, as each food provides something specific to the body.
Eggs and meat, for example, are high in zinc and iron, a source of protein needed to build our cells and tissues. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, which promotes good transit, and in various vitamins.
Starchy foods are suppliers of carbohydrates, the essential fuel for the proper functioning of our body and our brain, ideal for sports performance. Fish and seafood are also sources of protein and omega 3, which help prevent cardiovascular disease and promote the development and proper functioning of the retina, brain and nervous system. Dairy products are the main source of calcium, essential for the skeleton and the teeth.
The health potential of food
Since food plays an essential role in our physical and moral well-being, it is important to know the different nutrients our body needs and where to find them. Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals... So many nutrients that are brought to us every day by the food we eat.
- Antioxidants, as their name indicates, limit oxidation, and in particular the effects of oxidative stress. This can lead to degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancers or cardiovascular diseases.
- Acidifying or alkalizing foods: the environment in which our cells live must remain stable, and this is also true for the PH. Eating too many acidic foods, for example, unbalances the PH and to compensate the body will draw on the alkaline mineral substances present: bones, cartilage, teeth, ... This therefore promotes osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, cavities.
- Fibers are vegetable substances that are essential for a good regulation of the intestinal transit, but not only, they have a satiating effect that allows us to eat less, and to decrease our cholesterol level and limit the increase of the glycemia.
- Not all fats are equal, if some are bad for the body like saturated fatty acids, others on the other hand have undeniable beneficial effects and contribute to the proper functioning of our cardiovascular system (e.g. sunflower oil, olive oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, etc. ... and fatty fish).
- Potassium has many virtues, regulating the acidity of the body, preventing and treating hypertension, heart attacks and strokes, and so on... It is found in legumes, vegetables, fruits and dried fruits. It is also very present in meat, fish, chocolate and whole grains.
- Calories provide us with the energy necessary for our daily functioning, but also all calories are not equal. There are beneficial calories, called "full", they contain vitamins, minerals, proteins, fatty acids and fibers, in other words essential nutrients, and then there are "empty" calories, refined sugar and saturated fats. You will have understood, in period of diet, do not deprive yourself of full calories.
Cooking food well for maximum benefit to the body
Having the right products is not enough to ensure your health and well-being. Indeed, you have to pay attention to the way you prepare them before eating them. There are certain good cooking and preservation practices to follow in order to keep the nutrients present in the food at their best.
Water, steam, fry, oven, wok, casserole,... There are many ways to cook food, but not all cooking methods have the same effect on health. As far as cooking is concerned, it is better to steam your vegetables "al dente", which means that they remain firm. Cooking them for too long or in water causes a great loss of vitamins and minerals. Also, it is preferable to limit grilling, the fat intake (so that it does not stick...). Dietetically speaking, braised and fried dishes should be avoided for your long-term well-being.
As far as food preservation is concerned, it is almost as important as cooking. Rancidity of food, proliferation of bacteria are all causes of food poisoning, which can be avoided by applying good preservation practices. For example, a product that has been defrosted should never be refrozen, as microorganisms are sure to return. It is also necessary to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator between 0 and 4 degrees, by forgetting to close the door well or by putting a plate still hot, you can deteriorate all the products present in the refrigerator.
Nutrition by age
At each age of life, the body has a different activity and therefore different nutritional needs. It is therefore advisable not to apply, without thinking, nutritional advice found quickly on the internet without having first verified that it is indeed the intake necessary for your body and your well-being at that time of your life.
A teenager, in the middle of his or her development, will need, for example, dishes that are extremely rich in calories, with deficiencies in calcium, iron, vitamin D, etc... In the elderly, the purpose of food is to slow down the aging process and contrary to what one might think, seniors have nutritional needs comparable to those of young adults, and even higher. For example, they need more protein and water.
If you have decided to take care of your diet, don't hesitate to find out what you need according to your age in order to adapt your menus.
WELL-BEING AND WORK
We have seen that our well-being is linked to our diet, our sleep, our living environment. It is also of course linked to our main activity, our work, what we will spend most of our days on.
First of all because its importance in our life can affect the other factors of well-being mentioned above. Indeed, if you don't have time to eat properly at lunch, if the regularity of your sleep is subject to the 3×8 rule, or if your workplace is noisy and uncomfortable, your work already has an impact on your daily well-being.
Beyond any psychological consideration of self-realization or love for your work, it can also be a source of stress due to the responsibilities, pressure, or insecurity of your job. So many parameters that you must learn to manage as well as possible to take care of your well-being.
Knowing how to manage fatigue
Nearly one person in two complains of persistent fatigue during the year, so to work in optimal conditions, you must be in good shape, in order to provide the necessary energy throughout the day and not be overcome by fatigue.
First of all, you must avoid overwork, learn to know your limits and don't hesitate to say "no" to your colleagues and superiors, you won't be doing anyone any favors once you're in burnout. Try to go to bed early at night, if you feel the urge to go to sleep, even if there is a good movie on TV. Make sure you have a restful journey, especially for those who have a long journey, in order to avoid arriving at the office in the morning already exhausted after an hour's traffic jam, prefer public transport, with a book and music if possible.
Don't eat too much at lunchtime at work, otherwise you'll feel tired in the afternoon. And if you do feel tired, don't eat a sweet snack thinking that it will revive you, as this will only make you want to sleep more. Choose a banana, for example. Finally, take regular breaks to stretch and regain a state of tension and minimum contraction.
Managing work-related stress
Work overload, pressure from the hierarchy, fear of losing one's job, ambiguity of roles and responsibilities, pressure of results, organizational constraints (procedures, meetings...), pressure from clients, lack of professional skills. These are the main sources of stress at work.
Stress has an impact on your well-being, your health, in the short and long term, because stress triggers illnesses In addition, there is the work environment. The work space has an impact on your well-being.
The workspace and its well optimized organization could considerably reduce the stress of employees. Avoid open spaces, add green plants, and other water points, follow the precepts of Feng Shui ... Why not arrange this space as well as possible as proposed above for his own home, for the well-being of all. If you don't have the power of decision on these changes, you can talk about it around you and to your superiors, maybe the idea will make its way.
For the other stress factors, on the other hand, you can try to manage them by yourself. You can start by making an honest analysis of yourself in order to identify the factors that generate the most stress in you and act accordingly in a targeted manner.
