Health is a condition of mental, physical and emotional well-being where infirmity and illness are absent. Well, being is the result of a person’s complete well being which is achieved through a person’s healthy relationship with God and others. It also includes the capacity to make choices, manage risk, cope with stress and engage in adaptive activities, like healthy diet and exercise. Health is essential for the maintenance of our culture, family life and relationships and therefore everybody should work towards achieving a good health status. What motivates us to work towards that health?
Health determinants are present at various stages of life. They include physical and mental determinants, social determinants such as attitudes and behavior, and environmental determinants such as climate, diet, technology, education and home environment. Most people are influenced by their environment. We acquire our strengths from our environment, weaknesses from our environment, and our habits from our environment. Health determinants contribute to the maintenance of the strength, independence, motivation and competence of an individual by affecting quality of life, setting of standards and expectations and providing coping mechanisms and resources.
In contrast, some diseases or health conditions cannot be prevented by any of these determinants. This is the main reason why prevention of diseases or conditions requires medical interventions in order to overcome these determinants and achieve health status. However, changes in the lifestyle of an individual can improve his or her health status in several ways. These changes can modify the causative factors, reduce stress, improve fitness, reduce health risks, and improve self-care.
A major determinant of the quality of life is sleep deprivation. According to research, sleep deprivation is one of the main articles of health problems. Depriving the body of the sleep it needs is the main factor that leads to weight gain and reduced physical performance as well as to depression and other related illnesses. Sleep loss is closely related to the severity of illness. The length of time of illness is often a major determinant for health problems as well as the amount of stress and anxiety felt by individuals.
Mental health is an important determinant of physical health. According to recent research, poor mental health is directly linked to the severity of illness and the duration of illness. The quality of life improvements and the reduction of the impact of illness on daily life can significantly improve the quality of well-being. It is important to ensure that everyone gets the right amount of mental health services such as support groups and appropriate mental health rehabilitation.
Illness is a complex problem. Although an illness develops over a period of time and may not be diagnosed until a serious illness is detected, it is still important to address the issue in the early stages and to make lifestyle choices that can help to avoid further illness or injury. A healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep are the most important aspects of good health. Managing these areas of health will also help the individual to prevent the onset of other illnesses or injury that can affect their overall health as well as their lifestyle choices.