Negative emotions ignored are ‘accumulated’ in the body and have a harmful impact on our physical, mental and social sphere. For example, anguish and sustained fear cause anxiety that, if left untreated, can lead to sleep disorders, digestive, concentration and/or work performance problems, social isolation, or can also lead to other physical or mental health disorders. mental.
Mexico City, July 3 (However).- Health does not have to do only with the absence of conditions or diseases. According to the WHO, it is defined as a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being. Therefore, the state of comprehensive well-being is achieved when there is a balance between physical, biological, emotional, mental, spiritual and social factors.
“Emotional health is a dynamic experience, which is not defined by a state, but by the way in which each person is able to tolerate internal tensions and go through the most diverse conflicts. A healthy person is not one who does not suffer, but one who can do so from a non-reactive point of view, with the ability to integrate different emotions”, said Luciano Lutereau, Psychoanalyst, Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Psychology (UBA) .
The body experiences and reacts to how one feels. For this reason, it is very important to listen to oneself, paying attention to the sensations that we develop on a daily basis, and asking for help when we feel without tools or overcome by the situation that we are going through.
Sustained anguish and fear cause anxiety that, if left untreated, can lead to sleep disorders, digestive, concentration and/or work performance problems, social isolation or can also lead to other physical or mental health disorders.
From a preventive point of view, these are some protective factors of our emotional well-being:
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical activity is a good tempering of emotions, because it allows there to be a distance between our thoughts and elaboration (by imposing a cut that avoids rumination and persistence). Physical exercise is essential to prevent non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes and even some cancers; protects and enhances our mental health. Many scientific studies have shown that it generates the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and endorphins, which produce the sensation of pleasure and well-being, counteracting stress and tension.
“We know that when we take care of our bodies, this action has an instant impact on how we feel, how we look and how we take care of ourselves. And that then internally impacts how we interact, treat and care for other people”, explains Nora Dooley, Impact Team Leader of Coaches Across Continents, an NGO that receives funds from Disney in support of its initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life of young people. low-income through sports in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia.
LINKS
Bonds are also a central component in emotional stability, since healthy relationships allow those who feel to do so in an empathetic way and including the perspectives of others, which allows them to relativize their egocentric and unilateral vision. Therefore, social relations are a fundamental pillar in the formation of who we are, how we think and what habits we acquire. There are numerous scientific studies that show that strong social ties are related to a longer life, and social isolation or loneliness, with health problems. Hugs, kisses and affectionate conversations are the essential seasoning for well-being, strengthening ties and self-esteem.
SELF-CARE
It is essential that there is a routine. We must order our time, organize ourselves and have a daily/weekly plan which has a purpose, is coherent and possible. This not only optimizes our time, but also organizes our mind.
-Perform physical activity (at least 30 minutes daily).
– Adequate nutrition (eat plenty of water, fruits and vegetables and reduce the consumption of foods rich in fat, alcohol, ultra-processed foods).
-Rest (achieve a restful sleep, if possible 8 hours a day).
-Spend time with family, friends and leisure; have a recreational, social moment and connect with the bonds.
-Connecting with oneself helps to have a moment of reflection and listen to the body, in addition to reducing stress (meditation, breathing exercises, yoga or others).
REST
An emotionally healthy person has a correct rest, because as with physical activity, they know that a scene cannot be inhabited continuously and it is sometimes necessary to make a cut. The night and the dream are a privileged instance to rediscover that other scene daily. In addition, the immune system uses sleep time to regenerate, so sleeping well restores and strengthens it.
NUTRITION
Finally, there is also an impact of emotional health on nutrition, to the extent that anxious reactivity can lead to a disorganization of eating or there are emotions (such as sadness) that, when set as states, can have a negative impact ( either because they lead to overeating or just the opposite).
Poor nutrition (diets rich in refined carbohydrates, ultra-processed foods, high in fat) implies a greater risk of mental illness. The truth is that adequate brain nutrition maintains the structural and functional integrity of neurons, helping to maintain emotional balance.
As a general recommendation, Lutereau raises the need to give each emotion its time and scope; be attentive to daily reactivity, because anxiety is the most common emotional short circuit in our societies. Finally, he warns that there is no emotion that is positive or negative by itself, but that health is in the harmonic relationship that each one can establish with the others.
Our emotional and psychic well-being includes our thinking, feeling and acting. Following this premise, Disney, which is committed to promoting healthy habits and providing a healthy, flexible and inclusive work environment, proposed World Wellness Week between June 27 and July 1 for its members. “We launched this initiative because comprehensive health is our main condition for human development and it is essential to take care of it, preserve it and enhance it. We are biopsychosocial beings, and our health is influenced by our lifestyle and environment/environment in which we live. Our customs, culture and habits that we practice will have a direct impact on our well-being”, concluded Yasmin Claros, Medical Specialist in Occupational Medicine for Disney (MN 140677).
