Wellness Vs. Well-being: Here's Why You Need to Know (Your Body & Brain Will Thank You) by Noreen Braman

Your company offers a wellness program. Your doctor tells you to pay attention to your well-being. You find pages of articles on the Internet that use both words – do they mean the same thing?

Not exactly. Wellness is the whole picture of health, including physical and mental health, while well-being is focused more on mental health issues, including happiness. So why not just say “wellness” in all situations?

Wellness programs are often about physical health – nutrition, exercise, blood pressure, blood sugar. Stress management, work-life balance issues, anxiety or depression are often not addressed. However, you cannot achieve wellness without well-being.

The good news is, lots of things you have been doing for wellness, also help well-being. Exercise increases your fitness and also improves mood. Even 10 minutes of laughter provides mild aerobic exercise and a healthy dose of feel-good endorphins. Think about adding a 5-minute meditation break to your workout. And just as you would see your doctor for a sports injury, be sure to mention if you are experiencing depression or anxiety.

Make well-being part of your wellness routine and your body and brain will thank you!

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