Components of Health

Health gives us the strength and energy to enjoy life. To understand it fully, we classify health into four dimensions, each a different sign of a sound life, and each influencing the others.

1. Physical health

The sound working of the body. One thing that stays with a person for life is the body - if it is healthy, daily work can be done with energy and time is left to enjoy with family and friends. It is maintained by exercising daily, walking as much as possible, and eating healthy food.

2. Mental health

The sound state of the mind. A sound mind lives in a sound body, so physical health supports mental health: thoughts become clearer and a person gains confidence in dealing with day-to-day situations. Including meditation and yoga in daily life keeps the mind calm and improves mental health.

3. Social health

The ability to live well with others. We live in a world where we must interact with people, understand and appreciate those around us. Social health gives the strength to build strong relationships and to enjoy the companionship that is important for a healthy life.

4. Emotional health

Control over one's circumstances and feelings. An emotionally strong person deals with different situations with ease and stays steady whatever the situation. Working on emotional health makes a person more balanced and improves their decision-making ability.

How the four dimensions map onto the WHO definition

These four dimensions are a practical expansion of the WHO's definition of health (physical, mental and social well-being, Section 5.1.3) - with emotional health drawn out as its own dimension because how a person feels and manages their emotions is distinct from how well they think (mental health). A student preparing for exams, for instance, needs physical health (enough energy to study and stay alert), mental health (clarity to understand concepts), emotional health (managing exam anxiety) and social health (support from family, friends and teachers) all at once - weakness in any one dimension drags down overall performance, exactly as the WHO definition insists health cannot be reduced to just one of these. …