What’s the difference between health, well-being, and wellness?
Health, well-being, and wellness all have to do with our physical, mental, and social state of being, but each has a distinct definition.
Health, well-being, and wellness are concepts related to our physical and mental state of being. While each is a holistic term that encompasses various dimensions of health, they do not mean the same thing.
What is health?
Health experts and organizations agree that health is so much more than the absence of illness or injury.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Health is more than the absence of disease; it is a resource that allows people to realize their aspirations, satisfy their needs and to cope with the environment in order to live a long, productive, and fruitful life.
The World Health Organization (WHO) refers to health as “a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living.”
Health is multidimensional. It refers to complete emotional, physical, mental, and social well-being.
Physical health has to do with how our body functions while mental, intellectual, emotional, and social health have to do with how we handle stress, maintain relationships, and show resilience.
A variety of factors determine health, such as genetics, environment, income and education, environmental factors, and social relationships.
What is well-being?
While well-being does not have a single definition, it refers to the presence of positive emotions (like happiness and contentment), life satisfaction, and fulfillment.
Well-being is a broad term that describes the extent to which “people perceive that their lives are going well,” according to the CDC. It’s related to health, healthy behaviors, mental and physical illness, social connectedness, and productivity.
Living conditions and access to resources also affect well-being. Life satisfaction is related to having basic needs (like food, shelter, and income) met.
Well-being can apply to individuals and populations. Measures of well-being can be used to inform public policy and interventions as well-being brings both personal and public benefits. It is associated with decreased disease risk and increased longevity, as well as increased productivity and community engagement.
What is wellness?
Here is how the Global Wellness Institute, a nonprofit that empowers wellness through education and programming, defines wellness:
Wellness [is] the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.
Wellness differs from health and well-being as it describes more than one’s static state of being. It refers to the active process of making choices that contribute to health and well-being.
For some, wellness involves exercising daily and eating healthy meals. For others, wellness may be focused on getting enough sleep, seeing friends, or practicing meditation.
Wellness plans will be different for each individual. A wellness coach or wellness workshops can help people set goals and stay on track.
Just like health and well-being, wellness is a holistic term that encompasses physical, mental, spiritual, social, and environmental factors.
Health and well-being are not a luxury. Everyone, regardless of who they are, has the right to the “highest attainable standard of health”, the WHO says.
At Alpha, we want to make healthcare as accessible and affordable as we can, especially given the barriers to healthcare that many women face.
Through our telemedicine platform, you can complete an online consultation and receive medication without leaving your home to visit a doctor’s office. To learn more about the conditions we treat and services we offer, check out our website today!
