According to the Surgeon General, emotional and mental wellbeing are essential to a person’s overall health, and is a large determining factor in other health related outcomes (2014). Existing in a positive state of emotional wellbeing allows someone to cope with life’s everyday stressors, work productively, and lead a fulfilling life.
There are several different ways to positively impact emotional wellbeing:
Manage stress levels
Stress is a normal part of life, however, when stress becomes overwhelming it can have negative impacts on health. Removing detrimental stressors can help individuals have a more positive state of emotional wellbeing.
Have healthy relationships
Relationships are a fundamental part of the human existence, and have a large impact on emotional wellbeing. Form relationships that are based on trust, open communication, and healthy boundaries. Try and steer clear from relationships with toxic behaviors.
Physical activity
Being physically active has numerous benefits for all areas of health, and emotional wellbeing is no exception. Exercise releases mood-boosting hormones called endorphins and also helps improve body positivity and satisfaction.
Be more mindful
Engaging in the practice of mindfulness helps one to stay grounded in the present. It allows individuals to be more in touch with their mind, feelings, and thoughts. Learn more about the CALM workshop and mindfulness practices on the Labyrinth page.
Stress
Stress is the body’s physical and psychological response to a challenge or event. Although stress is a normal part of everyday life, if it is not managed appropriately stress can have negative health effects. The American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment indicated that 36.8% of students identified stress as a factor affecting their individual academic performance within the last 12 months. Stress was the number one academic impact followed by anxiety (30.6%), and sleep difficulties (22%).
Managing stress means using tools and coping mechanisms to help mitigate the negative effects of stress on the body.
The American Psychological Association offers the following tips to manage stress:
- Take a break from the stressor
- Exercise
- Smile and laugh
- Seek out social support
- Meditate
For additional information on stress, check out the NIH’s 5 Things You Should Know About Stress.
Social Media
Social media has dominated the way that students communicate for over the past decade. Pew Research Center reports that the 18-24 year old age demographic uses social media the most frequently and over the most amount of platforms. Additionally, “some 78% of 18- to 24-year-olds use Snapchat, and a sizeable majority of these users (71%) visit the platform multiple times per day. Similarly, 71% of Americans in this age group now use Instagram and close to half (45%) are Twitter users” (Pew Research Center, 2018).
While social media is great in some aspects, such as connecting with new friends in new spaces and old friends back home, increased use of social media has also been linked to increased levels of social isolation, loneliness, and depression. “Facebook depression” is a term coined by researchers and practitioners that describes a person who spends a large amount of time on social media, and begins to develop some of the classic feelings of depression (O’Keefe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011). Instagram is most likely to cause overwhelming feelings of depression. This is likely due to the “highlight reel” of users posting the best aspects of their lives.
Health Promotion & Wellness can provide information on how to use social media responsibly and also strategies to reduce social media usage.