Wellness Resources

Wellness: “a state of well-being in which body, mind and spirit integrate so that individuals can fully experience life.”

Resources are available to help with each aspect of your life. True wellness is an equal balanced between each of these aspects. So, finding resources that work for you in each category will help with overall and holistic wellness. Each aspect is connected to all the others, so if you are overwhelmed looking for a place to begin, pick one to focus on. This will enable change in more than just one part of your life. Each piece of wellness has more to do with small, insistent and consistent efforts, rather than one grand effort every now and then. Finding ways to incorporate small healthy habits now will make all the difference. Here are some ways to turn your desire to change into some extra cash.¹

Exercise is defined as “physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and purposive.”² Recent studies have found that exercise promotes self-efficacy, reduces stress, and improves mood,⁵ proving how important exercise can be for our mental well-being. Self-efficacy is important for so many aspects of our lives, especially when dealing with conflicts between varying responsibilities.³ Performing physical exercise can also improve our sleep, even though the two of them often compete for time in our lives.⁴ Taking care of our bodies is part of our stewardship earth, with both strength training and cardio-type exercises. We encourage you to find resources that work for you, so that you might enjoy the many benefits that exercise provides. On campus there is the Wellness Center, the Outdoor Resource Center, and Fitness Activities.

Another part of taking care of our bodies as part of our stewardship is getting enough rest. Getting proper sleep is a large part of proper rest, it is common knowledge that adults should be getting 7-9 hours each night, but 6-10 hours might also be appropriate, dependent on the person.⁶  Getting adequate amounts of sleep has been said to decrease stress,⁷ effect cognition positively,⁸ and other detrimental effects. But rest isn’t just the time you spend sleeping! Taking a little time each day to make ourselves happy and being away from work will help us avoid burnout, be more productive when we are working, make us emotionally and physically available to serve others, and help us achieve a better balance between responsibilities. Not getting enough sleep might feel like a badge of honor but we don’t have to be exhausted to prove that we are doing enough for the Lord and his kingdom.

Nutrition is comprised of what kind of foods we eat, what type of nutrients we get, and how much we eat. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the macronutrients that make up all the food we eat, in varying levels. The AMDR⁹ (appropriate macronutrient distribution range) recommends our diet be 45-65% carbohydrates, 20-35% fat, and 10-35% protein. Maintaining these levels, while eating vegetables, fruits, fiber, and whole grains will help provide a balanced diet. Getting adequate amounts protein from lean sources can help maintain fullness, help with weight loss, and maintain muscle mass. Having carbohydrates with fiber will help maintain a healthy blood sugar level, as well as provide the main source of fuel to our muscles and cells. Using healthy sources of fats in moderate amounts can help us maintain healthy blood triglyceride levels, stay full between meals, and provide a pathway for key micronutrients to be absorbed. You can look at the Self-Reliance page on Nutrition and Diet to provide with some general principles. A more detalied version on the topic can be found in the Principles of Nutrition resource created by the BYU-Idaho Nutrition department.

Most man-made models of wellness put spirituality at the center of it all, meaning each aspect of wellness runs from the belief system of the individual. Spirituality is “loosely defined as an acknowledgment of a force or power greater than oneself that is somehow interconnected with the living.”10 Finding the ways that everyone personally connects to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is a quest in this life, and it is a quest that will positively affect the remaining aspects of wellness. All parts of wellness require small, insistent actions, and spirituality is no exception. Each day is an opportunity to deepen and exercise faith, learn, and become more like our Father and His Son. Our beliefs will drive us to make several other positive choices for our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Come Follow Me is the program in which the church is encouraging study of the Gospel, with particular emphasis on study within the home. Attending a session within the Lord’s house is another way to strengthen us spiritually.

With life being increasingly busy, stressful, and difficult to manage, increasing our awareness of mental health issues is increasingly important. Learning about coping mechanisms, symptoms, and gaining empathy are all things to help with our own mental health and those around us. Mental wellness means asking for help when we need it, because we know we aren’t perfect. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides a Frequently Asked Questions webpage about mental health if there are any additional questions. By being more aware we won’t be void of bad days, but we will be able to rise up and recover more efficiently and give ourselves patience. Self-help resources can be found here regarding self-help. If you are in an emergency, visit BYU-Idaho's Mental/Behavioral Health webpage for who to contact. Know that anyone suffering with mental illness at any time is not weak, incapable of growing, or out of reach from the Savior's love and strength.

Financial wellness is the ability of an individual or couple to make wise choices in relation to their income and their spending. Financial wellness includes wise spending or budgeting, saving, and putting money away for the future like a 401k or Roth IRA. Having an unhealthy mindset and relationship with money can also contribute to the stress associated with financial wellness. It is our goal that every employee will be able to attain a high level of financial wellness for them and their families. You can also learn more about how you can access a financial planner, and more about family finances.

Intellectual wellness explores what you do to build your mental capacity, understanding of the world around you, and deepening knowledge. Henry B. Eyring in an article titled “Education for Real Life"he said: “The purpose of God’s creations and of His giving us life is to allow us to have the learning experience necessary for us to come back to Him, to live with Him in eternal life.” By accompanying our spiritual study with secular study, we can broaden our perspectives. Full-time employees, their spouse and dependents have access to taking classes on campus through tuition waivers to grow and learn.

Social wellness does not mean all of our relationships with others are perfect and without conflict, it means that we are consciously aware of the relationships we have and then choose to do things to add value to those relationships. Sometimes strengthening a relationship comes by doing something with your friends and family. At other times it is going out of our way to give particular attention or care to someone. Doing spiritual things and involving Heavenly Father and the Savior can also help our relationships in ways we couldn’t do on our own. By showing love and compassion, we become more like the Savior and serve those around us that much better.

References

1. Myers, J. E., Sweeney, T. J., & Witmer, J. M. (2000). The Wheel of Wellness counseling for wellness: A holistic model for treatment planning. Journal of Counseling & Development, 78, 251–266.
2. Caspersen, C. J., Powell, K. E., & Christenson, G. M. (1985). Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: Definitions and distinctions for health‐related research. Public Health Reports, 100, 126–131.
3. Clayton, R. W., Thomas, C. H., Singh, B. and Winkel, D. E. (2015), Exercise as a Means of Reducing Perceptions of Work‐Family Conflict: A Test of the Roles of Self‐Efficacy and Psychological Strain. Hum Resour Manage, 54: 1013-1035.
4. Christopher J. Yao, Mathias Basner, Healthy behaviors competing for time: associations of sleep and exercise in working Americans, Sleep Health, 2018
5. Fox, K. R. (1999). The influence of physical activity on mental well-being.  Public health nutrition,  2(3a), 411-418.
6. Ohayon, M., Wickwire, E. M., Hirshkowitz, M., Albert, S. M., Avidan, A., Daly, F. J., … Vitiello, M. V. (2017). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep quality recommendations: first report. Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, 3, 6–19.
7. Blaxton, J. M., Bergeman, C. S., Whitehead, B. R., Braun, M. E., & Payne, J. D. (2017). Relationships Among Nightly Sleep Quality, Daily Stress, and Daily Affect. The Journals Of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences And Social Sciences, 72(3), 363–372.
8. Giuntella, O., Han, W., & Mazzonna, F. (2017). Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Cognitive Skills: Evidence from an Unsleeping Giant. Demography, 54(5), 1715–1742.
9. PDF for Dietary Reference Intakes Macronutrients
10. Gill, C. S., Barrio Minton, C. A., & Myers, J. E. (2010). Spirituality and religiosity: Factors affecting wellness among low-income, rural women. Journal of Counseling & Development, 88, 293–302.